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Gerber, Senators blank Lightning

Dec 14, 2008 - 4:20 AM OTTAWA (Ticker) -- Two days after the Tampa Bay Lightning halted a nine-game slide, Martin Gerber helped them return to their losing ways.

Gerber stopped all 24 shots he faced as the Ottawa Senators recorded their first shutout of the season with a 2-0 triumph over the Lightning on Saturday.

Defenseman Alexandre Picard scored a power-play goal in the second period and captain Daniel Alfredsson added an empty-netter with 45 seconds remaining in the third for Ottawa, which had gone 0-2-1 in its previous three.

Gerber turned aside nine shots in the first period, eight in the second and seven in the third to record his first shutout of the season and 10th career. The victory was the Swiss goaltender's first since he made 34 saves in a 6-3 triumph over the Phoenix Coyotes on October 17.

"It's great to get the shutout, but honestly, it's bigger to get the win," Gerber said. "It's huge for us to get these two points at home right now."

"Gerber was solid," Ottawa coach Craig Hartsburg said. "He was square to the puck all night and he made some big saves for us. He didn't give many rebounds and he was really good."

Mike Smith stopped 31 shots for Tampa Bay, which fell to 1-8-2 in its last 11 games.

"That was bad hockey out there," Lightning interim coach Rick Tocchet said. "If I was a fan, I'd want my money back. That was terrible hockey. You can't blame the refs. It's just garbage hockey.

"After the Montreal game (a 3-1 win on Thursday), I thought we were going to come out hard, and we didn't. There'll be a lot of practice time over the next four days."

The top overall pick of this past June's draft, Steven Stamkos agreed with his coach's assessment.

"We came off a big win in Montreal, and to have that effort today was unacceptable," the 18-year-old said. "I thought they kept us in the game, actually. We had a chance to take it from them and I don't think they played their best game, but they found a way to win.

"We're really struggling to score goals right now, and obviously, it's very disappointing."

Picard opened the scoring 5:04 into the second period, unleashing a slap shot from just outside the left faceoff circle that sailed over the left shoulder of Smith for his third goal of the season.

"We were on the power play, and our second unit has a little less firepower than our first one," Picard said. "We have to have a shooting mind set and get people in front of the net. (Defenseman Brendan Bell) made a nice pass to me and I just took a shot. There was people in front, and I don't think their goalie saw it."

Playing in his sixth game, Ilya Zubov was credited with an assist for his first career NHL point. The Russian was recalled from Binghamton of the American Hockey League earlier in the day.

Alfredsson provided the final margin with an empty-net goal.

Behind the play, Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis inadvertently was kicked in the face by an official. St. Louis, who was bleeding, immediately skated to the bench and trainers placed a towel over his face as he was escorted to the locker room.

The former Hart Trophy winner received a total of eight stitches across the bridge of the nose to close the wound.