Prospal's four points lift Tampa past Ottawa
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Vaclav Prospal made sure the Tampa Bay Lightning wouldn't be embarrassed again by the Ottawa Senators.

Prospal had a goal and three assists as the Lightning beat Ottawa 6-2 Monday night, snapping the Senators' five-game winning streak.

''It's great. It's awesome,'' said Prospal about matching a career-high four points. ''To do it against the best team in the league right now. For me personally, four points against my former team is something special.''

Martin St. Louis added a goal and two assists for Tampa Bay, which ended an 11-game winless streak against the Senators (0-10-1). Tampa Bay's previous victory against Ottawa was March 30, 2000.

''It was just time for us to stand up to this team,'' Lightning center Brad Richards said. ''It's been embarrassing. We had to match them face-to-face, shoulder-to-shoulder.''

The Lightning won for just the second time in 10 games (2-6-1-1). The other victory was a 1-0 victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 7.

Prospal got hit with a five-minute cross-checking penalty and a game misconduct for an altercation with Chris Neil with 3:03 to play.

''He basically was after me the whole game,'' Prospal said. ''I had a good game, and that's his role to do. Go after the guys who maybe are making a difference in that particular game. It just happened. I wasn't looking for it or anything like that.''

Neil, who threw a couple of punches, got two minor penalties and a 10-minute misconduct.

''I took a bit of a cross-check,'' Neil said. ''The ref made the right call. He should get a couple of games (suspended) for it. He was careless with his stick and he deserves what he got there.''

Marian Hossa and Magnus Arvedson had the Ottawa goals. The Senators, leading the NHL's with 66 points, are 25-5-4-1 over the past 35 games.

Ottawa had outscored opponents 18-3 during its winning streak. Goalie Patrick Lalime won four times, allowing two goals.

Lalime was pulled after two periods Monday after giving up four goals on 24 shots.

''We didn't do what we usually do with our work ethic,'' Lalime said. ''I think we took some shortcuts and they took advantage of it.''

Prospal put the Lightning ahead 1-0 on a fluke goal at 10:21 of the first period. He scored from the low slot after a pass sent behind the net by Ottawa's Todd White deflected off the skates of referee Dave Jackson.

Hossa tied it for Ottawa with his 31st goal at 11:15. Tampa Bay went ahead 2-1 at 13:59 when Fredrik Modin scored his first goal in 10 games.

Nikita Alexeev made it 3-1 at 4:23 of the second. Shortly after, the Lightning limited Ottawa to one shot during a 1-minute, 35-second two-man advantage. The Senators entered with the NHL's second-best power play.

''It took the air out of us,'' Ottawa's Daniel Alfredsson said. ''Tonight was the first time in a long time we didn't give ourselves a chance to win. It's going to happen during the year. We just have to make sure we bounce back quick.''

Tampa Bay went ahead 4-1 on St. Louis' goal at 12:41.

Richards and Vincent Lecavalier scored early third-period goals on Tampa Bay's first two shots on Ottawa goalie Martin Prusek.

Arvedson scored with 1:44 left.

Game notes
Senators left wing Martin Havlat left the game in the second period and did not return. He appeared to be favoring his leg, but Ottawa officials did not give details on why he departed. ... Richards returned after missing two games due to the death of his grandmother. ... The Senators won the first two meetings between the teams this season, outscoring the Lightning 13-3. ... Lecavalier reached 20 goals for the fourth consecutive season.