Senators' Hurme stops penalty shot, preserves win over Lightning

TAMPA, Fla. -- Ottawa goaltender Jani Hurme sure made it interesting at the end.

Hurme stopped Martin St. Louis on a penalty shot with 5.3 seconds left Saturday night, preserving the Senators' 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The penalty shot was awarded after Hurme was called for knocking the net off its moorings in the final two minutes of play.

"I didn't know about that rule," Hurme said. "It was like half on purpose and half not. I was almost falling down, then I took that post with me. Next time I have to be more careful."

St. Louis didn't put his shot where he wanted.

"I tried to go five-hole and I got the puck up a little too high," St. Louis said. "I like to be put in that situation. That's what it's all about."

Hurme made 33 saves as Ottawa beat the Lightning for the seventh straight time. He is 6-0-0 with two shutouts lifetime against Tampa Bay.

"This was the first team I played against in the NHL, and I had a very good start against them," Hurme said. "So maybe that's a good thing."

Radek Bonk scored the go-ahead goal on a power play in the second period.

Brad Richards scored for Tampa Bay, which has lost five in a row at home and seven of eight overall.

"It's a tough one," Lightning coach John Tortorella said. "A game of inches, isn't it? It's amazing."

Bonk put the Senators ahead 2-1 at 12:40 of the second period. He carried the puck along the left-wing boards, skated into the slot and scored on a backhander.

The teams traded goals in the first period. Todd White scored for Ottawa and Richards scored for the Lightning.

Notes:

Ottawa swept back-to-back games in Florida. The Senators beat the Panthers 4-2 Friday night. . . . Ottawa returned center Steve Martins to Grand Rapids of the AHL. . . . Senators left winger Chris Herperger returned after missing one game with a bruised right knee. . . . Since the start of the 1999-2000 season, the Lightning are 2-88-5-1 when trailing after two periods. They are 0-14-1-1 this season. . . . Tampa Bay center Brian Holzinger is expected to miss the rest of the season after undergoing left rotator cuff surgery last Wednesday.