-----------------------------
Ottawa 1 2 2--5
Chicago 1 1 0--2
-----------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Chicago, Amonte 33 (Calder, Zhamnov), 0:22.
2, Ottawa, Mceachern 31 (Alfredsson), 15:09.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Chicago, Zhamnov 13 (Calder, Mironov),
0:17. 4, Ottawa, Hossa 32 (Redden, Sillinger), 4:47. 5, Ottawa, Yashin 36
(Mceachern), 7:39. Penalties: Sillinger, Ott (holding), 11:50; Allison,
Chi (tripping), 16:39.
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 6, Ottawa, Fisher 5 (Arvedson, Leschyshyn),
8:49. 7, Ottawa, Sillinger 16 (Zamuner, Persson), 16:16. Penalties: York,
Ott (cross checking), 6:35; Persson, Ott (roughing), 18:45; Allison, Chi
(roughing), 18:45.
Shots on goal:
---------------------------------
Ottawa 12 13 5--30
Chicago 7 6 6--19
---------------------------------
Power-play Conversions: Ott - 0 of 1, Chi - 0 of 2. Goalies: Ottawa,
Hurme (19 shots, 17 saves; record: 12-4-4). Chicago, Thibault (30, 25;
record: 27-30-6). A:13,045. Referees: Faucette, Pollock. Linesmen:
Mcelman, Schachte.
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS
Ottawa Chicago
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
Alfredsson 0 1 even 1 Allison 0 0 -1 1
Arvedson 0 1 +2 1 Amonte 1 0 even 2
Dackell 0 0 even 1 Calder 0 2 even 1
Fisher 1 0 +1 1 Daze 0 0 -1 2
Havlat 0 0 even 0 Dubinsky 0 0 even 1
Hossa 1 0 +3 1 Hankinson 0 0 even 2
Lacroix 0 0 even 4 Herperger 0 0 -1 2
Leschyshyn 0 1 +2 0 Leroux 0 0 -2 0
Mceachern 1 1 even 5 Mironov 0 1 even 0
Persson 0 1 +2 2 Nylander 0 0 -1 1
Phillips 0 0 even 1 Poapst 0 0 -1 0
Rachunek 0 0 +1 1 Probert 0 0 -2 1
Redden 0 1 +1 0 Quintal 0 0 -2 0
Sillinger 1 1 +2 3 S Mccarthy 0 0 -2 1
White 0 0 even 1 Spacek 0 0 even 1
Yashin 1 0 even 4 Sullivan 0 0 -1 2
York 0 0 even 3 Vandenbussche 0 0 even 1
Zamuner 0 1 +1 1 Zhamnov 1 1 -1 1
Salo Healthy Dean Healthy
Rivers Healthy Karpovtsev Elbow Injury
Roy Healthy C Mcalpine Healthy
Hnidy Healthy
Game Story
CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Mike Sillinger and Shawn McEachern had a
goal and an assist apiece as the Ottawa Senators scored four
unanswered goals to defeat the lowly Chicago Blackhawks, 5-2,
and extend their unbeaten streak to five games.
The Senators need one point in the final five games to clinch
their second Northeast Division title in three years. Ottawa
also remained one point behind New Jersey for the top spot in
the Eastern Conference.
"We are still missing Radek Bonk and Sami Salo, but we've got
four lines playing well," McEachern said. "The addition of Mike
Sillinger has really added balance to our line."
In their first game since coach Alpo Suhonen stepped down due to
a heart condition, the Blackhawks suffered their fifth straight
loss and were eliminated from playoff contention.
"I don't have an answer and it's hard to talk about it,"
Blackhawks center Alex Zhamnov said of missing the playoffs for
a fourth straight year. "For me, it's embarrassing sitting
around and watching the other guys play in the playoffs and know
that you don't have a chance."
Tony Amonte scored his 33rd goal just 22 seconds into the
contest and Zhamnov tallied 17 seconds into the second period to
give Chicago a 2-1 lead.
During a 2:52 span, however, Marian Hossa tied it and Alexei
Yashin netted his third game-winner in four games to give Ottawa
a 3-2 advantage.
Ottawa won in Chicago for the first time since December 7, 1995,
ending an 0-2-1 streak.
"We came out and played hard and showed poise, but we played a
team that's going to compete for the Stanley Cup," Blackhawks
interim coach Denis Savard said. "They don't have 47 wins for
nothing. Give them credit, they're strong in every zone."
Senators backup goaltender Jani Hurme stopped 17 shots to record
his sixth straight win since losing in Pittsburgh on December
30. He has a 1.33 goals-against average in those half-dozen
contests.
Amonte's backhander from the slot surprised Hurme in the opening
minute. The All-Star right wing tallied for the third time in
two meetings with Ottawa this season but just the second time in
the last 11 games overall.
The Senators outshot the Blackhawks, 12-7, in the first period
and that pressure produced the tying goal at 15:09. Daniel
Alfredsson slid the puck across the slot to McEachern for the
tap-in at the left goalpost.
"They came out hard and tried to take the game to us,"
Alfredsson said. "I think they want to finish strong and not
just head off to golf. They tried hard at the beginning, but we
have a good team and by the second we had the momentum."
Zhamnov's wrist shot from the left faceoff dot soon after the
first intermission put the Blackhawks back in front.
But Hossa tipped in Wade Redden's slap shot from the left point
4 1/2 minutes later to knot it at 2-2. The All-Star right wing
found the net for the first time in five games after scoring
four in as many contests from March 11-18.
Yashin skated through the offensive zone before putting Ottawa
ahead for good. While cutting across the slot, the Russian
center sneaked the puck inside the left goalpost of Jocelyn
Thibault, who has just one win in his last seven games
(1-5-0-1).
Chicago has scored just nine goals in those contests.
"Ottawa is a solid team and they got a lot of quality shots,"
Thibault said. "We knew they would come out hard because they
would remember us beating them up in their house a couple of
months ago."
Chicago fell to 0-17-1 at home this season when trailing after
two periods.
Fisher redirected the puck on a 2-on-1 to double Ottawa's lead
8:49 into the final period. Acquired from Florida at the trade
deadline, Sillinger capped the scoring, cutting to the net and
beating Thibault with 3:44 remaining.