Redden puts Rangers away in overtime

OTTAWA (AP) -- The latest addition to Ottawa's powerful lineup quickly adapted to the Senators' winning ways.

Newcomer Bryan Smolinski assisted on Wade Redden's goal 1:34 into overtime to lift the league-leading Ottawa Senators to a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers on Thursday night.

Smolinski, acquired from Los Angeles on Tuesday, combined with Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson on a passing play in the Rangers' zone to set up Redden's shot from the slot.

It beat goalie Mike Dunham, giving Ottawa its second straight overtime winner.

"We knew they were a desperate team and that they were going to throw everything at us,'' Smolinski said. "At the same time, (Senators coach) Jacques (Martin) and the coaches behind us, they were, 'Go get it. Let's go get the win. Go get the win,' and that's what these guys did.''

Alfredsson also scored and Marian Hossa became the second Senators player to score 40 goals in a season as Ottawa opened a three-point lead over Dallas in the NHL's overall standings with 98 points.

"It's not a lot, but it's some breathing room, and we've just got to keep pushing ourselves,'' Alfredsson said.

Pavel Bure scored his second penalty shot goal of the season for New York, and Petr Nedved got his 24th goal with 5:16 left in the third to send the game to overtime and assure the the Rangers of a crucial standings point.

But they still remain in 10th place overall in the East with 68 points.

"We are where we are right now, and we've just got to find a way to make it work,'' Rangers captain Mark Messier said.

Bure, who scored on a penalty shot against Nashville's Tomas Vokoun on Oct. 19, got his 19th goal of the season to open the scoring 8:53 into the second period.

Bure swung slightly right as he drove in on goaltender Patrick Lalime after picking up the puck off the faceoff spot. He used his legs and hips to fake right, sending Lalime sprawling while skating away from the goalie's desperate poke check attempt to steer a shot into the open left side of the net.

"Usually, I would just shoot, but the goalie went out, so I had lots of room,'' said Bure, who has scored on seven of his 12 career penalty shots.

Alfredsson tied it later in the second and Marian Hossa got his 40th at 13:21 of the third.

Anson Carter, who made his Rangers debut after he was acquired from Edmonton on Tuesday, set up Nedved for the tying goal just 1:23 later. Carter skated down the right side and passed to Nedved, who drove to the net and beat Lalime from in close.

New York is 5-2-2-1 in its last 10 games, claiming 13 of a possible 20 points.

"I thought we played a good hockey game tonight,'' Carter said. "We played patient. Petr scored a big goal in the third period that gave us a lot of confidence.''

The game was scoreless through the first period and Ottawa was about to complete killing off two consecutive penalties in the second when Alexei Kovalev fed a 60-foot pass up the middle from the Rangers' zone to Bure. After getting behind the Senators at center ice, the speedy Russian was swept off his feet by Radek Bonk and referee Blaine Angus immediately pointed to center ice.

But after Bure's successful penalty shot, Alfredsson tied the game with his 25th goal of the season 14:36 into the second.

Hossa scored for the second straight game 13:21 into the third period to put the Senators up 2-1, but the Rangers came back to tie it on Nedved's goal just 1:23 later.

"The important thing now is that we got a point,'' Dunham said. "You know, we're not chasing Ottawa. Obviously, they're in first place and they got two points, but that doesn't matter to us, right now. It could have been none, but we got one and that is what's important to us right now.''

Game notes
Bure's goal was the eighth successful penalty shot in 29 overall attempts in the NHL this season. It was the third penalty shot against Ottawa this season. Rookie G Martin Prusek stopped Boston's Glen Murray on Nov. 9 before denying the New York Islanders' Dave Scatchard three nights later. ... Alexei Yashin was the other Senator with 40 goals, doing it in 1998-99 and 2000-01. ... Carter was the Oilers' leading scorer with 55 points in 68 games, including 25 goals and 30 assists. ... Smolinski had 18 goals and 20 assists in 58 games with the Kings. ... The Senators are 7-1-7 in overtime this season.