ATLANTA (KDKA/AP) — The Penguins ended the regular season on a high note Sunday afternoon with a four-goal second period to beat the Atlanta Thrashers 5-2 at Philips Arena.

Tyler Kennedy, Pascal Dupuis, Mike Rupp, Mark Letestu and Mike Comrie all had goals in the win. Penguins’ backup goalie Brent Johnson made 37 saves and defenseman Ben Lovejoy finished with three assists.

Chris Mason made 15 saves for the Thrashers, who have missed the playoffs for the 10th time in their 11-year history.

Atlanta’s captain Andrew Ladd opened the scoring in the first period. His 29th goal came on a two-man advantage to make it 1-0.

Kennedy tied the game at 1-1 with a power play goal of his own 6:25 in the second period.

Dupuis put the Pens ahead for good later that period with his 17th goal of the season. Mike Rupp made it 3-1 15:27 into the period. Lovejoy assisted on all three of the goals.

The second period closed out with Mark Letestu’s 14th goal of the season with assists going to Eric Tangradi and Alex Kovalev.

Tim Stapleton cut the Thrashers’ deficit to 4-2 with 6:45 left in the game.

But Mike Comrie capped the victory when he scored into an empty net with the game winding down to make it 5-2.

The Penguins’ Jordan Staal, Chris Kunitz, Paul Martin James Neal and Marc-Andre Fleury all sat out of the regular season finale.

The Pens now head back to Pittsburgh where they will open the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at the CONSOL Energy Center against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

RELATED LINKS:
Pittsburgh Penguins
Atlanta Thrashers

RELATED STORIES:
1st Round: Pens vs. Tampa Bay
Kunitz’s SO Goal Lifts Pens Above Islanders, 4-3
More Penguins News