Senators 5, Islanders 2
SENATORS 5, ISLANDERS 2: Chris Neil and Kyle Turris led four players with multiple points as host Ottawa bounced back by dealing another blow to New York’s diminishing playoff chances.
Neil and Turris each recorded a goal and an assist while Nick Foligno and Erik Karlsson added a pair of helpers each. Milan Michalek and Jason Spezza scored on the power play and Jim O’Brien picked up his second career tally for Ottawa, which pulled back to within three points of the Boston Bruins in the Northeast.
Michalek’s 28th goal came with 7:39 left in the second period to knot it at 1-1. Spezza struck 4:01 later on another power play, blasting his 28th past Evgeni Nabokov from the top of the right faceoff circle.
Ottawa made it a two-goal edge early in the third on O’Brien’s tally.
PA Parenteau would draw New York back within a goal with his 15th tally. But Neil got that one back, working a breakaway with Foligno and swatting the pass out of the air and into the net.
Turris capped it on the empty net with his sixth goal.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Robin Lehner got the start in goal for Ottawa in place of the injured Craig Anderson and made 28 saves. … Spezza and Karlsson have combined for 33 points in the last seven games. … New York remains eight points behind eighth-place Winnipeg in the East.