Ottawa now unbeaten in seven games

OTTAWA (AP) -- The Ottawa Senators are finally scoring even-strength goals.

Mike Fisher and Peter Schaefer scored, and Patrick Lalime made 22 saves as the Senators extended their season-high unbeaten streak to seven games with a 2-0 victory Monday night over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Fisher scored his third goal in the first period, and Schaefer got his second in the second, both goals coming with the teams skating 5-on-5. Ottawa, which relied on its power play for 21 of its first 32 goals this season, has scored 15 of its last 18 goals at even strength.

"I think we're a little more desperate and a little more hungry around the net,'' Fisher said. "The guys are paying the price in the neutral zone and making good plays to create opportunities. We're getting those little bounces and it's been big for us the last few games, the 5-on-5 goals.''

The Senators, who went 0-for-8 on the power play, have won three straight and are 6-0-1 in their streak.

Lalime, who has started 17 of Ottawa's 19 games, got his 21st career shutout and first since April 5 at Washington.

"The best feeling is the win, and we'll carry that into our next game,'' said Lalime, who had four shutouts in 12 playoff games for the Senators last spring.

Toronto, which had won four of five, was shut out for the first time since a 3-0 loss to Philadelphia on Jan. 19.

"You don't get chances to win in this business unless you want to work hard for the puck, and we didn't work hard for the puck tonight,'' Maple Leafs coach Pat Quinn said. "We had a few guys that didn't feel like battling tonight, then we got the penalty trouble right off the bat and you're down 1-0 before you blink an eye, and I don't know if we wanted to fight that hard to get in it tonight.''

Ottawa right wing Marian Hossa extended his points streak to 10 games with an assist on Schaefer's goal. Hossa has nine goals and seven assists over the course of the streak.

Fisher opened the scoring 8:01 in after Senators right wing Magnus Arvedson pushed the puck back to defenseman Chris Phillips.

Phillips' shot from the left point rebounded to Fisher, who tucked the puck into the net between goalie Ed Belfour's skate and the left post.

Schaefer made it 2-0 with his first goal in six games 7:11 into the second. Radek Bonk took Hossa's pass and fed Schaefer, whose shot bounced up and over Belfour's right pad.

Game notes
Belfour and Senators C Jason Spezza exchanged words after the Ottawa rookie was slashed by the goalie when he passed through the crease late in the second period. "He got me on the padded area so it wasn't too bad. I got him on the glove first, so I kind of saw it coming,'' Spezza said. ... Lalime had seven shutouts in each of the last two regular seasons and has 17 overall in 176 regular season appearances with Ottawa. ... Alfredsson ended a seven-game point streak. he had two goals and seven assists during the streak. ... Senators assistant coach Roger Neilson worked the game from one of the team's boxes. Neilson, a cancer survivor, was hospitalized for observation and missed Saturday's 5-2 win over Columbus.