Senators 4, Jets 1
Milan Michalek scored twice and added an assist and Craig Anderson stopped 35 shots as the Ottawa Senators halted an ugly three-game losing skid with a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night.
The Senators had their most complete game of the season, bouncing back nicely from a slide that had seen them get outscored 16-4 in consecutive losses to Colorado, Washington and Philadelphia.
Winnipeg had the lone goal of the first period, jumping in front at 14:39. Dustin Byfuglien's shot from the right point deflected off the shaft of Ottawa forward Colin Greening's stick and eluded a partially screened Anderson.
Ottawa tied the game on a power play at 4:48. Jason Spezza's initial shot from the left side boards was stopped by Ondrej Pavelec but Michalek whacked the rebound past the Winnipeg netminder from the edge of the crease.
Spezza put Ottawa in front with 6:41 left in the period. After switching sticks during a stoppage, the skilled Ottawa forward put the new lumber to immediate use, firing a one-timer from the bottom of the right circle past Pavelec's glove.
Alfredsson extended the advantage at 9:15 of the third, picking off a mid-air pass in the neutral zone and streaking down the right side before wristing a shot that beat Pavelec just past his blocker.
Winnipeg's best chance to cut the deficit came midway through the period, when Tobias Enstrom burst in alone on Anderson but missed the net wide left. Michalek then iced things with an empty-netter in the final minute.