Lalime picks up fifth career playoff shutout

OTTAWA (AP) -- At least for one night, Marian Hossa and the Ottawa Senators proved they could live up to being playoff favorites.

Hossa scored twice and Patrick Lalime got his fifth career playoff shutout as the top-seeded Senators evened their first round playoff series with a 3-0 win over the New York Islanders on Saturday night.

Vaclav Varada also scored for Ottawa, which was winless in nine games as the higher seed in a playoff series after New York's stunning 3-0 victory in Wednesday's series opener.

"We got off to the start we wanted, with Hossa leading the way," Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson said of Game 2. "It was good for us to play solid for 60 minutes and it was nice to see us come out and rebound after the first game. It was just a great effort."

Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Monday night on Long Island.

The Senators reversed the results of Game 1, in which the Islanders took a two-goal lead in the first period. Ottawa responded on Saturday with goals from Hossa and Varada 1:41 apart that gave the Senators a 2-0 lead just 8:24 in.

"In Game 1, we were a different team and tonight we proved we were back and we played simple hockey," Hossa said.

Hossa, who scored 45 goals during the season to break Islanders center Alexei Yashin's Ottawa record, got his second goal of the game on a 5-on-3 advantage at 14:25 of the second to make it 3-0.

"Where I felt we lost the game was in skating," Islanders coach Peter Laviolette said. "The games were almost identical, in reverse."

Lalime was rarely tested as Ottawa outshot New York 34-16. He had four shutouts in last year's playoffs.

"We didn't give them much," Lalime said. "We were solid in both ends of the ice."

Hossa opened the scoring at 6:43 as he drove to the net on a give-and-go and deflected Bryan Smolinski's return pass past goalie Garth Snow.

"I saw Bryan open on the right side and I had good speed, so I just drove to the net and that was an excellent pass," Hossa said.

Varada made it 2-0 when the Senators caught a break in the Islanders' end.

New York defenseman Kenny Jonsson's clearing attempt struck a linesman, allowing Ottawa's Martin Havlat to get a sudden shot on Snow.

Both Varada and center Radek Bonk jumped on the rebound. Bonk's swipe at the puck missed but Varada's backhand drove the puck through Snow's legs.

After outshooting the Islanders 15-5 in the first, Ottawa kept up the pressure in the second -- outshooting New York 16-5.

"It was almost like vice versa of what happened in Game 1," said Snow, who recorded his first career playoff shutout Wednesday. "They took it to us in the same manner that I think we did to them in the first game. They didn't disappoint us. We knew they'd come out and throw everything at us, especially in their rink."

With Radek Martinek already off for interference, New York defenseman Adrian Aucoin was given a double minor for high sticking and roughing at 14:16 to put the Islanders down two men for 1:39.

The Senators needed just nine seconds to take advantage of New York's lack of discipline as Hossa got his second of the game -- his seventh career playoff goal -- with a sharp-angled shot that beat Snow from the right side at 14:25.

"I think they did turn up their game," Laviolette said. "I think a great hockey game would be our first game and their second game and a really lousy game would be our second game and their first."

New York's Jason Wiemer was assessed a match penalty for a head butt on Chris Neil 4:57 into the third.

Rick DiPietro replaced Snow, who stopped 28 of 31 shots, on the ensuing power-play. Laviolette said he didn't have an explanation for the decision.

"I just made a move," he said, adding that he didn't know who would start Monday.

Despite playing short-handed for the next 7:00, the Islanders outshot Ottawa 3-0 over the span.

Neil fought with Islanders defenseman Eric Cairns with 32 seconds remaining.

Game notes
Ottawa didn't lose consecutive home games during the regular season. ... DiPietro stopped the three shots he faced over the final 15:03. ... Islanders C Justin Mapletoft made his first career playoff appearance as forward Eric Godard served his one-game suspension for his high stick to Neil's head in Game 1. ... Senators D Anton Volchenkov also made his playoff debut in place of Shane Hnidy.