Lalime stops 27 shots in victory for Sens

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- With the New Jersey Devils struggling to score goals, the Ottawa Senators knew all they needed was a fast start.

Martin Havlat provided that by setting up two first-period goals, and Patrick Lalime had 27 saves to lead the Senators to a 3-0 victory over the slumping New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night.

"They're a good team and you like to compare yourself to the better teams in the league,'' said Shaun Van Allen, whose goal 96 seconds into the game was the game-winner. "We knew we had to come in here ready to play.

"We came off a stinker against Montreal. We just wanted to come out and get a strong start and take it from there.''

Radek Bonk added two goals, including an empty-netter, as the Senators beat the Devils for the second time in five days and won for the fifth time in six games.

The loss was a season-high third straight for the Devils, whose streak started with a 4-3 overtime loss in Ottawa on Saturday. New Jersey now has 13 goals in its last eight games (3-3-0-2).

"I'm concerned,'' captain Scott Stevens said. "I don't know what it is. We just seem to be a step behind. We don't seem to be generating a lot. We don't seem to be getting any second chances. We don't seem to be forechecking much and we are spending too much time in our own zone. All those things concern me.''

Havlat has been the biggest reason the Devils lost both games against the Senators. The left wing had a goal and two assists in the game in Canada, forcing the overtime with a goal and setting up the game winner by Mike Fisher.

Havlat, who actually had a hand in the Senators' last five goals against New Jersey before Bonk's empty netter, got them going on his first shift of the game. He skated around Stevens, eventually went around behind the net and threw a pass in front to a wide-open Van Allen for an easy goal at 1:36.

"Some nights every thing you shoot is in,'' Havlat said. "Some nights not. I was lucky the last two nights against New Jersey.''

The goal was Van Allen's sixth of the season and gave him goals in four straight games.

The Senators' second goal came on a shift where they would not let the Devils clear the puck.

Havlat eventually outfought Joe Nieuwendyk behind the net, sent a pass to Peter Schaefer, took a return pass and then found Bonk alone in front for his fifth goal of the season. It was his first goal in 10 games.

Bonk got his other goal with 41 seconds to play.

Lalime didn't have to work hard to get his second shutout of the season and 22nd of his career. Nieuwendyk came close to scoring on a deflection in the third period, but most of New Jersey's other shots were either weak or off the mark.

"We came out pretty strong in the first,'' Lalime said. "We got the two-goal lead and after that, we shut them down.''

^Notes:@ The Devils were 0-for-3 on the power play. They are now 0-for-26 over the last 10 games. ... Senators forward Petr Schastlivy had to leave the game after the second period with a leg injury. ...The shutout was the first against the Devils at home since Feb. 27, when Roman Cechmanek of Philadelphia beat them 1-0. ... Nieuwendyk has gone 20 goals without a goal. Patrik Elias has not scored in 12 games. ... Devils D Brian Rafalski returned to the lineup after missing three games with bruised ribs.