NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Nashville Predators found a more physical side to their game and an offensive source not tapped in a long time.

Bill Houlder snapped a third-period tie Monday night with his first goal in 145 games and lifted the Predators to a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators.

Houlder, playing in his 200th consecutive game, put the Predators ahead 3-2 at 7:42 when he skated in from the left circle, took a centering pass from Scott Walker and beat Ottawa goalie Patrick Lalime.

His last goal was scored on Feb. 1, 2001, at Los Angeles.

"When you need a goal, you never know who is going to step up,'' Walker said. "It was a big one for Bill and a big one for us.''

Playing with a newfound aggressive style, the Predators were able to knock off the Eastern Conference's top team.

"It kind of goes along with having a good forecheck, dumping the puck well, getting a chance to get in there and make contact,'' Nashville's Cale Hulse said. "Little things like that lead to playing better and having more chances offensively because we are staying in the other team's end more.

"Being physical is just a part of a better team game.''

Nashville coach Barry Trotz has been talking to the team about increasing the level of physical play.

"Part of the identity that you want is to be hard, especially in your own building,'' Trotz said. "We have a lot of gritty guys when we're healthy.

"We're not a drop your gloves type of team. But Scott Hartnell, Adam Hall, Denis Pederson and Scott Walker are all gritty players who like to instigate. Those are the types of players we try to draft.''

Ottawa was unbeaten in six games (5-0-1) and had won nine times in 11 games (9-1-1).

The Senators took a 1-0 lead at 16:27 of the first period. Curtis Leschyshyn took a shot from the left circle that was tipped in by the waist-high stick of Peter Schaefer.

Nashville tied it at 18:56 of the first period when Denis Arkhipov put in the rebound of a shot by Kimmo Timonen from the left circle that bounced off the right pad of Lalime.

The Predators took a 2-1 lead on the power play with 53 seconds left in the second period when Andy Delmore fired a wrist shot high over the glove hand of Lalime.

"They got one power play goal and we didn't,'' Ottawa coach Jacques Martin said. "That's probably the difference in the game.''

The Senators needed only 56 seconds of the third period to tie it. Daniel Alfredsson backhanded the rebound of a shot by Wade Redden past Tomas Vokoun.

"Every team is going to bring their best,'' Ottawa's Shane Hnidy said. "We have to play a full game. Give credit to Nashville. We knew they outplayed Detroit Saturday and they didn't get the win so we knew we were in for a battle.''

Game notes
Houlder played in his 200th consecutive game. ... Alfredsson has 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in his last six games. ... The Predators are 10-1-0-2 this season when scoring three or more goals. ... Walker has four assists in his last three games. ... Leschyshyn played his first game after being sidelined the last five with a knee injury. ... All 10 of Delmore's goals this season have been on the power play.