He's not their No. 1 netminder, but Johan Hedberg gives the Thrashers their best chance at getting back into the series. AP

The result was the same -- a heartbreaking one-goal loss at the hands of the visiting New York Rangers. But in calling on Johan Hedberg instead of starter Kari Lehtonen on Saturday, Atlanta coach Bob Hartley may have found the goalie to get his Thrashers back in this series.

At least he hopes so. Down 2-0 and heading to Madison Square Garden for a pair doesn't leave him much room for error.

Despite playing reasonably well in the opener, the Thrashers were sunk by the skittish play of Lehtonen, who looked every bit the nervous playoff debutante. Despite that shaky showing, Hartley's decision to come back with Hedberg in Game 2 was a calculated risk. The veteran had started just 16 games this season, and even though he'd stymied the Rangers with a 38-save performance back on March 16, this was a must-win for Atlanta.

It almost worked, too, but his failure to knot up the series was no reflection on Hedberg's play. He battled all the way and was at times spectacular in stopping 37 Ranger shots, stoning Jed Ortmeyer and Sean Avery on breakaways and denying a screen shot by Jaromir Jagr and a rebound drive by Brendan Shanahan midway through the second just as a Rangers' power play expired. The two that eluded him -- Avery's crazy carom off the glass and Shanahan's one-timer from the slot -- would have found the back of the net behind any goalie.

So he's earned another shot. Of course, a decision to proceed with Hedberg is not without complication. Lehtonen is, after all, the future of the franchise. For the team to reach its long-term championship aspirations, he needs to learn how to win in the postseason. And the only way he'll do that is with experience ... even if it is painful in the short term.

But after waiting this long just to make the playoffs -- after mortgaging so much of their future for this run -- can the Thrashers really afford to see it all end in four games? That's a realistic possibility the way Henrik Lundqvist is playing at the other end of the ice. Of course, if Atlanta's forwards don't start generating some quality chances, especially on the impotent power play where they went 0-6 on Saturday, it won't matter if Phil Myre and Daniel Bouchard both are between the pipes on Tuesday night.

So damn the future. The Thrashers have to win now, and Hedberg gives them their best chance to do it.