Cream rises to the top

Senators top Islanders 3-1 for third consecutive victory

Mike Fisher celebrates with goalie Patrick Lalime after the Sens pushed the Isles to the brink of elimination. AP

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) -- The Ottawa Senators took charge almost as soon as they took the ice, and made sure they took control of their playoff series against the New York Islanders.

Mike Fisher scored just 28 seconds in, and Anton Volchenkov had a goal less than four minutes later as the Senators took an early lead and made it stand up in a 3-1 victory Wednesday night as Ottawa went up 3-1 in the first-round, best-of-seven series.

"We got those two quick goals, and that made it just a great game for us," said Ottawa goalie Patrick Lalime, who faced just 22 shots. "I wasn't too busy. They had a few chances, but our defense and penalty killing was great."

Marian Hossa had a goal and an assist for Ottawa, which will try to wrap up the Eastern Conference series at home Thursday night.

"This puts us in a good position going home," Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson said. "We know they won't give up, though."

Adrian Aucoin scored for the Islanders, who have lost three straight after winning the opening game.

"I'm very disappointed and a little frustrated because honestly, I didn't think we had our best effort," Aucoin said. "They're a fast team, but we knew that and we expected it. We just have to have a good attitude. Obviously, you have to feel confident and know that you can win three games in a row."

The teams were coming off a double-overtime game Monday night that lasted 82 minutes, 25 seconds. But Ottawa came out energized in the first period, scoring two quick goals and outshooting New York 15-6.

"We caught them a little flat-footed," said Senators center Bryan Smolinski, a former Islander. "The first goal seemed to take the wind out of their sails. The second goal was just as big."

The Senators took a 1-0 lead when Fisher took a pass from Smolinski, carried in from the blue line and lifted the puck over Garth Snow's left shoulder and under the crossbar. Hossa also was credited with an assist.

Ottawa went up 2-0 on a fluke goal by Volchenkov at 4:12 of the first. Snow made the initial stop on Vaclav Varada's shot, and the rebound went to the left side of the net. Volchenkov got the puck and attempted a centering pass that deflected in off Snow's legs.

"It was pretty big to get off to a start like that," Fisher said. "When we took that 2-0 lead, we were pretty effective after that because we played our system and trapped the way we know we can."

New York had a chance to cut the deficit with a five-on-three power play for 42 seconds bridging the first and second periods after penalties on Brian Pothier and Magnus Arvedson. But the Islanders didn't get a shot on goal.

"We just weren't able to generate any offense through their defense -- any substantial offense," Islanders coach Peter Laviolette said.

Aucoin made it 2-1 at 2:48 of the second when he beat Lalime with a slap shot from the right point through a screen set up by Michael Peca. The goal, which came with the teams skating four-on-four, was unassisted.

Ottawa regained a two-goal lead at 8:01 of the second on the power play when Hossa took a shot in close that deflected in off the Islanders' Oleg Kvasha. It was the third playoff goal for Hossa, who set a team record with 45 during the regular season.

"I just tried to swat it out of the air," Kvasha said. "It hit my stick and went in."

The Islanders thought they made it 3-2 with 7.2 seconds left, but Dave Scatchard hit the puck with his stick over the height of the crossbar, and it was ruled no goal by the officials on the ice. A video review supported the call.

The Senators, who won the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top team with 113 points, improved to 13-0-4 in their last 17 road games against the Islanders.

"We just played an all-around good road game -- a boring game," Smolinski said. "We just beat them on the scoreboard. We know a lot of their guys play a lot of minutes -- maybe they were a little tired. Tomorrow night, we want to go for the jugular."

Notes: Ottawa's last loss at Nassau Coliseum came on Jan. 6, 1996. ... Peca hasn't scored since Feb. 23 -- a span of 25 games. ... The Islanders ended the regular season 0-5-1 in their last six home games, and haven't won at Nassau Coliseum since beating Buffalo on March 1. ... Snow finished with 25 saves.

 

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