ATLANTA -- Mike Dunham can't explain why both his shutouts this season have come against the Atlanta Thrashers.
Jaromir Jagr scored late in the first period and Dunham had 25 saves as the New York Rangers beat the Atlanta for the first time in more than two years, 2-0 Tuesday night.
"I had no idea," said Dunham. "It was just luck, I guess. They have some guys who can score goals. I guess it's timing, more than anything else."
New York's Bobby Holik scored an empty-netter with nine seconds left, his 20th goal of the season.
The Rangers, winning for only the second time in six games, ended their winless streak against Atlanta at seven games (6-0-1). They defeated the Thrashers for the first time since Feb. 8, 2002.
Atlanta was 4-0 last season and 2-0-1 this season against the Rangers before Tuesday night.
Jagr deflected a shot from Boris Mironov past Atlanta goalie Pasi Nurminen with only 33 seconds left in the first period. It was Jagr's 28th goal.
The goal was originally given to Dan LaCouture, who was in a pack of players in front of the goal. Jagr was there, too, but he said he didn't knock it in.
"I didn't touch the puck. Somebody touched it, but not me," he said.
Atlanta's best scoring opportunity came midway in the second period when Jean-Pierre Vigier was stopped by Dunham on four straight shots from in close.
"I had a good chance, but I didn't bury it," Vigier said. "My best opportunity was on the first one, but I hurried it. I should have taken more time and gone upstairs."
Durham finished with 25 saves, 12 in the second period. Nurminen stopped 23 shots.
Dunham, who has 18 career shutouts, blanked the Thrashers on Oct. 16 in an 0-0 overtime tie for his only other shutout this season.
Fans, frustrated by the Thrashers' lack of offense, began booing five minutes into the final period when Atlanta failed to get off a shot during a power play.
The Thrashers were 0-5 with the man advantage.
"I'm not taking anything away from Dunham, but I believe we gave him an easy night," Thrashers coach Bob Hartley said. "We basically didn't generate anything."
Notes
- It was Nurminen's 19th straight game and 12th consecutive start.
- The Thrashers are 14-15-4-1 at home.
- The Thrashers beat the Rangers 4-3 on March 2, two nights after Atlanta won 3-2 to complete a home-and-home sweep.
- Nurminen is 5-1-1 in his last seven starts against New York.
- Jagr has 33 points (17 goals, 16 assists) in 23 games against Atlanta.
- The Thrashers acquired forward Kip Brennan from the Los Angeles Kings for forward Jeff Cowan. Atlanta also activated Vigier from injured reserve. He missed seven games with a rib injury.
