Lalime helps Senators win third straight game

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The Ottawa Senators are one of NHL's hottest teams for one reason -- goaltending.

With Patrick Lalime again strong in goal, Peter Schaefer scored a tiebreaking goal 7:30 into the third period to help the Senators to a 3-1 victory over Philadelphia on Saturday. Ottawa ended Philadelphia's five-game unbeaten streak.

"He had some awesome saves,'' said Mike Fisher, who scored Ottawa's first goal. "He kept us in it and he was the story for our team. The win can be attributed to him.''

Lalime made 27 saves as the Senators won their third straight game and seventh in their last eight.

"Patrick has been consistent all year,'' said Daniel Alfredsson, who assisted on Fisher's goal. "He had a so-so training camp but since we started in October, he's been great for us.''

Lalime, who has lost only two of his last 15 starts (10-2-3), credited his teammates for his success.

"As a team we played well on defense,'' he explained. "It's not only the defensemen, it's the fowards and everybody played a strong game.''

Schaefer, left uncovered in the slot, walked in and beat Philadelphia goaltender Roman Cechmanekr. Wade Redden also scored for the Senators, who have lost only two of their last 20 games (15-2-3). Redden's goal was an empty-netter with 31 seconds left.

Philadelphia's Michal Handzus had tied the game 2:54 into the period. Handzus took a pass from Kim Johnsson at the blue line, skated in and beat Lalime to the short side with a slap shot.

"It was a good play by Kim,'' Handzus said. "He took a couple of guys on him and passed me the puck. I had an open line to shoot, so I tried to shoot low.''

Philadelphia had come into the game with a 4-0-1 record in its previous five contests.

"It was frustrating for us not to collect points tonight,'' Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock said. "This (Ottawa) is the hottest team in the NHL right now. Both teams battled but we lost.''

The Senators managed only 21 shots on goal, including four in the first period, both season lows.

"We didn't get too many chances, but the ones we did we buried,'' Fisher said. "It seems that we're finding little ways to win lately. That's what happens when you're this hot.''

Ottawa had only one shot in the first 15 minutes. Fisher put the Senators ahead 1-0 with 1:34 left in the period, deflecting Todd White's shot through a screen into the net on a power play.

Fisher has scored in two straight games since missing his first game of the season against New Jersey last Wednesday because of the flu.

Game notes
This was the first of a home-and-home series. The teams meet again in Ottawa on Monday. ... Philadelphia C Jeremy Roenick sat out the second of his two-game suspension for his hit on Dallas' Mike Modano last Tuesday. ... The Flyers have won only two of their last 10 home games (2-6-2) against the Senators. ... Schaefer has scored four goals in five career games against the Flyers.