Hossa scores twice, sets Ottawa record with 45 goals

OTTAWA (AP) -- Marian Hossa values team achievements more than individual records. Playing for the league-leading Ottawa Senators allows him to celebrate both.

Hossa scored twice to set an Ottawa record with 45 goals and Martin Havlat had a goal and an assist, carrying the Senators to a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.

Hossa scored his 44th goal midway through the first period to tie Alexei Yashin's 1998-99 team record. He broke the mark with his second goal of the game late in the period to draw Ottawa even for the second time.

"It definitely feels good,'' Hossa said. "The main thing is we won, and that feels even better.''

Radek Bonk assisted on all three goals for the Senators, who converted two of 13 power-play opportunities to become the first Canadian team to reach 50 wins since Calgary and Montreal in 1988-89.

Ottawa, which ended its home schedule by tying a team record with its 109th point, leads Dallas by two points for first overall. The Senators can clinch their first Presidents' Trophy -- and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs -- with wins in their final two games.

"It doesn't matter if you finish first or eighth in the regular season,'' Havlat said. "Everybody's going from zero in the playoffs, so we'll see what's going to happen. But it would be really nice to start every series at home. It would be a very good advantage.''

Martin Lapointe got his eighth goal and Glen Murray scored his team-leading 42nd for Boston, which is seventh in the East with 84 points.

"It was a good game for us in getting ready for the playoffs,'' Bruins captain Joe Thornton. "We played aggressive knowing we may have to come back here.''

Thornton got his 98th point with his 63rd assist on Murray's goal, which gave Boston a 2-1 lead 10:31 into the game. Then Hossa broke Yashin's record as he took Vaclav Varada's no-look, through-the-legs backhand pass and fired a quick shot to beat goalie Tim Thomas.

"I screamed at him and he probably heard me; maybe he knew I was there, open,'' Hossa said. "That was an excellent pass.''

Havlat broke the 2-2 tie in the second period with a power-play goal just three seconds after Boston killed a two-minute five-on-three disadvantage.

Bruins defenseman Sean O'Donnell put his team in a deep hole early in the middle period when he was assessed minors for cross-checking and roughing 1:25 into the period as Boston was being called for having too many men on the ice.

Ottawa pinned the Bruins in their end throughout the two-minute advantage and finally got the go-ahead goal from Havlat during a delayed penalty to Boston defenseman Nick Boynton.

"I'm sure both teams knew that this was one of the last games before the playoffs, so you need to kind of make sure you get all your licks in, because we definitely can't be doing that next week,'' O'Donnell said.

Lapointe opened the scoring 2:34 into the game when he beat goalie Patrick Lalime with a one-handed shot despite having Ottawa defenseman Shane Hnidy draped all over him.

Bonk and Havlat combined to set up Hossa's power-play goal, but Boston regained its one-goal lead just 36 seconds later when defenseman Bryan Berard's pass sent Thornton and Murray away on a two-on-one. Murray one-timed Thornton's cross-ice pass to beat Lalime.

Hossa drew the Senators even again with his 10th multigoal game of the season.

Senators owner Rod Bryden was given a standing ovation before he addressed the sold-out Corel Centre crowd of 18,500 on hand for "Fan Appreciation Night.''

"It has been a great decade,'' said Bryden, who will lose control of the financially troubled team once bankruptcy proceedings are completed. "From the worst team in the National Hockey League to fighting to the last day to be the best. A great team for a great city.''

Game notes
O'Donnell was given an unsportsmanlike conduct minor, a misconduct and a game misconduct after he was called for high-sticking at 10:56 of the third period. "I let it get the best of me -- which I shouldn't have -- but it was more than that one call,'' O'Donnell said. "I'll just leave it at that.'' ... Thomas made his first start since being recalled from Providence of the AHL on March 24. He was 2-0 in two starts with Boston earlier this season. ... Ottawa won a team-record 28 home games this season. The Senators' 60 points at home also tied the 2000-01 team's franchise record. ... The Senators play in Washington on Thursday before completing their season on Saturday in Toronto.