Atlanta, GA (My Sportsbook) - Dean McAmmond's second-period goal proved to be the difference, as the Ottawa Senators edged the Atlanta Thrashers, 3-2, in a clash of cellar-dwellers at Philips Arena.

Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza both registered a goal and an assist for Ottawa, which won consecutive games for the first time since earning wins over these same Thrashers and Pittsburgh on December 3 and 6, respectively.

A Cup finalist in 2007, Ottawa has plunged to the bottom of the Northeast Division standings with 36 points.

Brian Elliott, a 23-year-old rookie unearthed in the ninth round (291st overall) of the 2003 draft by the Sens, made 29 saves in his third straight start.

"Overall, I thought we played a pretty good game," Elliott said. "They (the Thrashers) have some strong offensive players. We were able to shut them down for the most part."

Todd White and Chris Thorburn tallied for the sputtering Thrashers, who have lost eight of 10 and are last in the Southeast Division with 33 points. Only the woeful New York Islanders have accrued fewer points (28) in the league. Kari Lehtonen allowed three goals on 30 shots to take the loss.

"The effort was there," said Thorburn. "I think if we can build on that we'll be fine. We just to have to learn to win the close games."

The clubs traded tallies with the man advantage 64 seconds apart in the first period. White put Atlanta on the board at 5:37, positioning himself on the outer edge of the left circle and one-timing Slava Kozlov's pass through the young Ottawa netminder. Alfredsson's blast from the left faceoff dot evened things up at 6:41.

Atlanta regained the lead as Thorburn crashed the net and jumped on a rebound of an Eric Perrin shot with 4:32 remaining in the opening frame, but Spezza answered on the power play, uncoiling a slap shot from the left point that beat Lehtonen on the short side with 1:51 left in the first.

Ottawa seized the lead with 5:37 to go in the middle stanza. The play started in the Senators zone with Jarkko Ruutu blocking a shot and flipping the puck through the center ice. McAmmond outraced a pair of Thrashers to the loose disc and managed to slip it between Lehtonen's pads despite getting hooked from behind by rookie defenseman Zach Bogosian for his second goal in as many games.

Elliott turned aside eight shots in the third period to secure the victory.

Game Notes

White notched his team-leading ninth power-play goal of the season and has recorded two goals and five assists during a four-game point streak...Atlanta dealt forward Jason Williams to the Columbus Blue Jackets earlier in the day in exchange for defenseman Clay Wilson and a sixth-round draft pick in 2009...Ottawa finished 2-for-5 on the power play, while the Thrashers were 1- for-2.