Senators 2, Jets 1
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Ottawa Senators right winger Alex Chiasson scored midway through the third period to lift his team to a 2-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night.
Left winger Ryan Dzingel passed the puck to the front of the net, and it bounced off Jets center Mark Scheifele's skate and went right to Chiasson, who beat goalie Michael Hutchinson at 8:51 for his eighth goal of the season.
Scheifele had evened the score with his 26th goal of the season just over two minutes earlier. Right winger Blake Wheeler carried the puck into the Senators zone, slammed on the brakes and then found his linemate streaking to the net.
Ottawa center Zach Smith scored his career-high 22nd goal of the season early in the first period.
Smith took a pass from right winger Ryan Stone on a two-on-break and tucked the puck behind Winnipeg goalie Hutchinson at 3:16 on the first shot of the game for the visitors. It was Smith's first goal in seven games, after scoring in five straight contests before the dry spell.
The Senators (35-33-9) pulled to within eight points of the idle Detroit Red Wings in the race for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, but have just five games left in the regular season.
Winnipeg (31-39-7) lost its third straight game and remains last in the Central Division.
Ottawa goalie Andrew Hammond wasn't swamped with work but had to be alert on a couple of chances by the Jets, including a brilliant glove save off Drew Stafford with eight minutes in the third period and a kick save off center Andrew Copp with about five minutes left to play.
He finished with 20 saves, while Hutchinson stopped 17 drives.
The largest cheer from the home crowd came with eight minutes left in the second period when defenseman Dustin Byfuglien flattened Ottawa right winger Mark Stone with, perhaps, the most punishing body check of the Jets season.
Stone, 23, was caught with his head down just outside the Jets blue line on what looked like a clean but crushing hit. He rose quickly but was immediately shepherded off the ice by a member of Senators training staff. He returned to the bench just four minutes later and finished the period, but didn't come out for the final frame.
Winnipeg's power play unit was shut out in three opportunities, while the Senators finished 0-for-2 with the man advantage.
NOTES: The Jets scratched RW JC Lipon (upper body), C Mathieu Perreault (upper body), C Bryan Little (upper body), RW Anthony Peluso (upper body) and C Chase De Leo (healthy scratch). Ottawa didn't dress D Mark Borowiecki (lower body), D Patrick Wiercioch (upper body) and C Scott Gomez (healthy scratch). ... Senators D Cody Ceci played his 200th career game Wednesday. ... The Jets signed undrafted forward Brandon Tanev, 24, to a two-way contract for the remainder of the season. The Toronto native just recently finished his collegiate career with Providence College. Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice hinted he'd like to see Tanev, the younger brother of Vancouver D Chris Tanev, play in at least one of the Jets' final five games. ... Ottawa G Craig Anderson is expected to play Thursday in Minnesota against the Wild as the team finishes off back-to-back road games for the last time this season. ... The Jets host the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night and then play their final home game Sunday night against the Minnesota Wild. ... Ottawa travels to Minneapolis to take on the Wild on Thursday night and then finish up a three-game road trip Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers.