Senators 4, Canadiens 1
OTTAWA -- Senators backup goalie Robin Lehner won his second game in a row, stopping 33 shots as Ottawa defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre.
The win pulled the Senators to within one point of the Canadiens and the Boston Bruins in the Atlantic Division standings.
Lehner, who was given the reins when Senators goalie Craig Anderson suffered a sprained neck last Sunday, won his first game of the year on Tuesday, beating the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1.
Goals 37 seconds apart in the second period by Ottawa-born Senators defensemen Marc Methot and Mark Borowiecki broke open what had been a 1-1 game. Methot's came as a direct result of a giveaway by Montreal defenseman Andrei Markov. For Borowiecki, who scored into his own net the last time the Senators played at home, it was the first goal of his NHL career.
Senators center Kyle Turris iced the game with an empty netter in the last minute.
The Habs had a number of quality chances in the first period but Lehner stood tall for the Senators. The one shot that beat him was a blast by Markov with Senators center Jason Spezza in the penalty box. It took Senators winger Bobby Ryan just 28 seconds to get that one back, however. He took a pass from winger Clarke MacArthur in the high slot and whipped a shot by Habs goalie Carey Price for his ninth of the season.
The Senators, who are now 6-6-4, next play the Florida Panthers Saturday afternoon at Canadian Tire Centre. The Habs (8-8-1) are home to the New York Islanders on Sunday.
NOTES: Canadiens C Daniel Briere practiced with his teammates at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday morning, marking the first time he had done so since suffering his third concussion in 21 months on Oct. 19. No timetable has been set for his return to the lineup, but Briere thinks that day is getting closer. "I haven't taken any hits yet," he said. "That will be the next step. From there, we'll have a better idea." ... The game was the first between the teams since the Senators eliminated the Canadiens in five games in last season's playoffs. ... Senators G Craig Anderson practiced with the team for the first time since suffering a "stiff neck" in a goal-mouth collision on Sunday. He did not dress as G Robin Lehner's backup, but Anderson's return appears to be imminent. ... Canadiens RW George Parros and Senators RW Bobby Ryan were roommates when they played together in Anaheim. "I'm looking forward to playing against him," Parros, the Montreal enforcer, said of Ryan, the Senators' top marksman. "But I'm not looking forward to him blasting me like I've seen him hit so many people in the past." ... The Senators gave up the first goal for the 11th time in 16 games. They are 4-0-1 when scoring first.
