Senators 3, Devils 1
Chris Neil scored a pair of goals and Curtis McElhinney made 33 saves as the Ottawa Senators handed the visiting New Jersey Devils a rare loss, 3-1, on Thursday.
Ryan Shannon added a tally and Jason Spezza collected a pair of assists for the Senators.
The Devils (33-33-4) fell to 23-4-2 in their last 29 games and remain six points behind the Buffalo Sabres for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Ottawa took the lead on the power play in the first period when Spezza fired off a slap shot from the left faceoff circle. Shannon, standing in front of the crease to screen Martin Brodeur, had the puck deflect off his leg and into the net with 58 seconds left in the period.
The Senators made it 2-0 early in the third when Erik Karlsson sent a shot in from the right side that hit Neil’s skate and jumped up over Brodeur’s right shoulder.
The Devils got one back on Brian Rolston’s power-play goal four minutes later but could not find the net again against McElhinney.
Neil’s empty-netter with 38 seconds left put the game away.