Yashin held pointless as Islanders fall to Senators

OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Senators and their fans were ready for Alexei Yashin.

Marian Hossa scored his 12th of the season on a power play with 14:50 left in the third as the Ottawa Senators spoiled Yashin's return to the Corel Centre Thursday night with a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders.

Radek Bonk scored twice and had an assist and Andre Roy and Wade Redden also scored for the Senators as the sold-out crowd of 18,500 enthusiastically booed Yashin -- Ottawa's all-time leading scorer -- every time he came in contact with the puck.

"We knew it was going to be an emotional game," Hossa said. "We wanted to win, especially for the fans. It was like a playoff game because the people were fired up."

The crowd cheered loudly when Yashin was penalized for high-sticking Ottawa defenseman Zdeno Chara -- who was acquired from New York in the June 23 deal that sent Yashin to the Islanders -- with 3:09 left in the third.

"I can't control what they think," Yashin said. "What I can control is to give the best effort to my team, and that's what I try to do. Hopefully I can help the team to be successful in the future."

Shawn Bates and Mariusz Czerkawski scored for New York, which twice led the game.

Trailing 2-1, Roy drew the Senators even 14:23 into the second when he tapped Chris Herperger's pass across the Islanders' crease into a wide-open net.

Hossa put Ottawa ahead for the first time -- and for good -- at 5:10 of the third when he retrieved Martin Havlat's shot off the end boards and tucked the puck into the right side of the net.

Redden and Bonk both scored shorthanded goals into an empty net 34 seconds apart with less than 1:00 remaining.

The crowd's reaction was nothing new for Yashin, who leads New York with 38 points in 36 games.

Traded to the Islanders during last summer's NHL entry draft, the 28-year-old center was given the same treatment during Senators home games last season after sitting out the entire 1999-2000 season while under contract with Ottawa.

"I think he should be used to it," New York coach Peter Laviolette said. "He went through it all last season. I don't think it caught him off-guard. I thought he played a strong game."

Yashin was booed heartily when he won the game's opening faceoff and fired a shot at goalie Patrick Lalime just four seconds in and again moments later before firing over the net on New York's first scoring chance before the game was 30 seconds old.

The crowd cheered loudly a little later when Lalime stopped Yashin, who was left alone at the edge of the crease.

Chara drew a loud cheer when he got his leg up as he checked Yashin midway through the period.

"Obviously they've got issues that they haven't been able to forget about and they let that be known today," Islanders captain Michael Peca said.

There was little reaction later in the period when Yashin was cut on the left side of his mouth after Havlat slashed him in the face as they battled for the puck behind the New York net.

Bates opened the scoring with New York's ninth shorthanded goal 16:42 in as he completed a two-on-one by firing Peca's pass into an open left side.

Bonk drew Ottawa even on a power play 3:41 into the second as he redirected Daniel Alfredsson's slap shot from the point past Chris Osgood.

Czerkawski restored the Islanders' one-goal lead when he intercepted Redden's wild backhand pass from the boards in front of the Senators' net and beat Lalime at 8:18.

Notes: Yashin was Ottawa's first draft pick ever, second overall in 1992. He totaled 491 points in 504 games with Ottawa. Czech defenseman Roman Hamrlik, now a teammate of Yashin's, was chosen first overall by Tampa Bay in the 1992 NHL entry draft. ... The Islanders scored nine shorthanded goals last season. The team record is 19 shorthanded goals in 1980-81. ... Ottawa defenseman Sami Salo left the game and did not return after injuring his right hand in the second period.