ATLANTA - Marian Hossa broke out of a slump with two goals and Atlanta beat Buffalo 5-2 on Sunday to extend the Sabres' longest losing streak in almost two years.

Buffalo Sabres forward Derek Roy (9) controls the puck under pressure from Atlanta Thrashers forward Bobby Holik (16), of the Czech Republic, and Thrashers defenseman Niclas Havelid (28), of Sweden, during the first period of an NHL Hockey game, Sunday Jan. 6, 2008, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Johan Hedberg made 37 stops as the Thrashers won the meeting of teams that began the day tied for 10th in the Eastern Conference with 41 points.

Buffalo, opening a three-game road trip, suffered its sixth straight loss for the first time since March 18-27, 2006. The Sabres (19-18-3) have made the conference finals each of the last two years but are in danger of missing the playoffs this season.

Hossa had only two goals in his last 14 games before scoring in the first and third periods.

Pascal Dupuis, Colin Stuart and Ilya Kovalchuk also scored for Atlanta.

Kovalchuk's league-leading 34th goal came with 15 seconds left after Buffalo pulled goaltender Ryan Miller.

Hossa's second goal gave the Thrashers a 4-1 lead. Buffalo's Clarke MacArthur, called up from Rochester before the game, cut the lead to 4-2 with a goal 9:34 into the third period.

The Sabres scored first about six minutes into the game on Thomas Vanek's tip-in.

Atlanta answered about three minutes later when Hossa scored after a steal from Ales Kotalik behind the net.

The Thrashers took a 2-1 lead in an otherwise quiet second period when Dupuis scored on a shot off Miller's skate. Miller partially deflected the shot but then hit the puck as he moved his skate.

The Thrashers won despite drawing five penalties. Buffalo's only penalty came 11 seconds into the second period.

Atlanta, near the bottom of the league with a 77.2 percent success rate on the penalty kill, stopped each of the five power plays.

Miller made his 14th straight start despite being pulled midway through a 5-3 loss to Ottawa on Friday. Miller's only shutout of the season came Oct. 11 in a 6-0 win over Atlanta, leaving him 5-1-2 in eight starts against the Thrashers.

Notes: The Thrashers (21-21-1) are at .500 for the ninth time following an 0-6 start. ... Sabres F Daniel Paille was held out. Paille suffered a possible concussion and was groggy after he was knocked out of Friday's loss by a hit from Ottawa's Anton Volchenkov. ... Thrashers D Steve McCarthy (oblique) did not play.