The Ottawa Senators extended their franchise-record winning streak to nine games with a determined 3-2 overtime victory over divisional rival Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.
Mike Fisher scored the game-winner with 1:27 left in the extra session, taking a long pass from Erik Karlsson and streaking toward the Montreal goal before lifting a backhand shot past netminder Jaroslav Halak.
Fisher’s goal was his team-leading fifth game-winner and 19th tally of the season.
PHOTO: AFP
“It always feels great to score the overtime winner,” Fisher told reporters. “It was a great play by Karlsson. I just tried to get some speed, threw it at the net and somehow it went in.”
The win widened second-place Ottawa’s advantage over third-placed Montreal in the Northeast division to 10 points.
While the Senators have soared to fifth place in the Eastern Conference on 66 points the Canadiens have struggled, losing six of their last eight, including a Jan. 16 meeting with Ottawa when they were tied with 50 points.
PHOTO: REUTERS
However, the Senators did receive some bad news. Winger Nick Foligno broke his right leg late in the third, blocking a shot by Montreal defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron, and would miss six to eight weeks, the team said.
Brian Gionta forced overtime by netting Montreal’s second power-play goal of the game with 2:45 remaining, converting a pass at the top of the crease from Andrei Markov.
The Senators opened a 2-0 lead on a first period goal by Alex Kovalev and a score by Jason Spezza midway through the second before Benoit Pouliot replied for Montreal later in the period.
■FLAMES V OILERS
REUTERS, CALGARY, CANADA
The Edmonton Oilers moved within one loss of tying their all-time futility record when they lost 6-1 to the Calgary Flames on Saturday, their 13th consecutive defeat.
Jarome Iginla had two goals and two assists to help Calgary end a nine-game losing streak.
The Oilers, the NHL’s worst team with a 16-31-6 record, have not won a game since Dec. 30 and have just one victory in their last 21 games.
A loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Edmonton today would tie the team’s winless streak of 14 games set during the 1993-1994 season when they lost 13 and tied one.
The 1974-1975 Washington Capitals and 1992-93 San Jose Sharks have the NHL’s longest losing streak at 17 defeats in a row, while the 1980-81 Winnipeg Jets went 30 games without a win, the NHL’s longest winless streak.
■FLYERS V ISLANDERS
AP, PHILADELPHIA
Danny Briere and Scott Hartnell scored to help the Philadelphia Flyers beat the New York Islanders for the 14th straight time, 2-1 in the NHL on Saturday.
Ray Emery made 31 saves for the Flyers, allowing only Josh Bailey’s goal.
Dwayne Roloson stopped 30 shots for New York. The Islanders have lost four straight and five of six.
Hurricanes 4, Blackhawks 2
At Raleigh, North Carolina, Brandon Sutter and Matt Cullen scored in a 26-second span in the third period, and Cam Ward made 39 saves in Carolina’s fifth win in six games.
Only 6,896 fans attended the game after snow and ice blanketed the area. Sergei Samsonov and Jussi Jokinen also scored for the Hurricanes.
Marian Hossa and Andrew Ladd scored for Chicago, 5-3 on its season-high, eight-game trip.
Kings 3, Bruins 2, SO
At Boston, Jaret Stoll beat Tim Thomas in the sixth round of a shootout to give Los Angeles its fifth straight victory and the hosts its seventh straight loss and sixth in a row at home.
Boston’s seven-game losing streak, which started with a shootout loss in Los Angeles, is the team’s longest since 1997. The Bruins’ six-game home losing streak is their longest since 1924-1925.
Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown scored for Los Angeles and Marco Sturm and Mark Recchi countered for Boston.
Coyotes 3, Rangers 2
At Glendale, Arizona, Shane Doan scored in his third straight game and Phoenix withstood a late rally to beat reeling New York.
Sami Lepisto had his first career goal, and Mikkel Boedker also scored for the Coyotes, who have won three straight and six of their past eight to move three points ahead of Colorado for fourth place in the Western Conference. Marian Gaborik and Sean Avery scored third-period goals for the Rangers.
In other NHL action, it was:
● Canucks 5, Maple Leafs 3
● Sharks 5, Wild 2
● Blue Jackets 3, Blues 2, OT
● Predators 4, Thrashers 3
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