Senators 4, Lightning 1
Craig Anderson made 35 saves and All-Star Daniel Alfredsson recorded a goal and two assists to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 4-1 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.
Fellow All-Star Jason Spezza added his 15th goal and Kyle Turris got credit for the game-winner with his first goal since joining the Senators at the beginning of December.
Zack Smith added his 12th tally for Ottawa, which has now won four straight and six of eight to climb back into the top eight in the Eastern Conference.
Anderson struggled through the first two months of the season but has come on lately, keying the team’s surge with a 6-1-1 record in his last eight starts.
Spezza, one of four Senators named to the All-Star team Thursday, got Ottawa on the board at the 9:24 mark of the first period by cleaning up a rebound that Tampa Bay goaltender Dwayne Roloson failed to control.
Turris struck with 2:53 left in the second, creeping into the slot unmarked and tipping a strong feed from Alfredsson into the net.
The Lightning got one back on Steven Stamkos’ 28th tally, but Smith slapped a one-timer from above the right face off circle with 3:26 left in the game and Alfredsson put it away with an empty-net goal.