Islanders 2 - 5 Senators
Final
  for this game

Neil, Turris help Sens top Islanders

Feb 27, 2012 - 1:36 AM Ottawa, ON (Sports Network) - Chris Neil and Kyle Turris had a goal and an assist apiece as the Ottawa Senators topped the New York Islanders, 5-2, at Scotiabank Place.

Milan Michalek, Jason Spezza and Jim O'Brien scored and Erik Karlsson and Nick Foligno added two assists for the Senators, who have won five of their last six games. Robin Lehner made 28 saves in the win.

P.A. Parenteau finished with a goal and an assist, John Tavares scored and Travis Hamonic added a pair of helpers for the Islanders, who have dropped three of their last four games. Evgeni Nabokov was tagged for four goals on 23 shots in defeat.

The Islanders got off to a quick start, taking the lead just 49 seconds into the game after Tavares got a perfect feed from Parenteau on a 2-on-1 and beat Lehner with a quick wrister through the five-hole to give the Islanders the early lead.

Ottawa answered with a pair of power-play goals in the second period to take a 2-1 lead.

"We came out and we worked hard in the second period," Senators head coach Paul MacLean said. "I thought our execution was better and our power play came to life and got us two goals."

Ottawa's first goal of the period came at 12:21 when Turris sent a cross-ice pass from the left point to the right corner for Karlsson. Karlsson then fed Michalek, who jammed it home from in close to tie the game.

The Sens took the lead for good four minutes later when Karlsson collected a loose disc at the right point, moved to the high slot and sent a quick pass to Spezza, who ripped it past Nabokov.

The Sens made it 3-1 at 5:13 of the third period as a result of a poor turnover by the Islanders in the defensive zone.

Holding the puck behind his own net, Mike Mottau threw it up the middle trying to clear the zone, but it was picked off by O'Brien in the left circle and he ripped a wrist shot past Nabokov.

Parenteau found the back of the net with a quick wrist shot from the slot to pull the Islanders within one at 9:04, but Neil answered at 12:59 to restore the Senators' two-goal lead.

New York was buzzing in the offensive zone and looked poised to tie the game, but Kyle Okposo fed one back to Mark Streit at the point, who went for the one-timer, but his stick shattered on the shot and the Sens charged the other way.

Foligno picked up the puck following the broken stick and had Neil to his right. Foligno held the puck until he reached the circle and floated one for Neil that he batted out of midair past Nabokov.

Turris added an empty netted with 2:11 to play to finish off the victory.

"Obviously they got a couple power-play goals in the second period," Tavares said. "So that gave them the lead and a lot of confidence, we just couldn't fight all the way back."

Game Notes

Prior to Sunday's game, the Senators acquired goaltender Ben Bishop from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2013...The Senators are 7-4-3 this season in the second leg of back-to-back games... Karlsson has 65 points this season, which established a new franchise record for points in a season by a defenseman...The Senators finished 2-for-3 with the man advantage, while the Isles failed to convert on their only power-play chance.






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