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Senators cool off Canadiens with home victory

Jan 31, 2013 - 8:13 AM Ottawa, ON (Sports Network) - Daniel Alfredsson, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Phillips scored in the second period, as the Ottawa Senators downed the Montreal Canadiens, 5-1, at Scotiabank Place.

Jim O'Brien and Chris Neil added tallies for the Senators, who have won two in a row since a two-game losing streak.

Craig Anderson continued his strong early play, stopping 31-of-32 shots. With a victory in his 300th NHL game, the 31-year-old native of suburban Chicago improved to 5-0-1 this season.

Tomas Plekanec recorded the lone goal and Peter Budaj was tagged for all five goals on 27 shots for the Canadiens, whose four-game win streak came to a halt.

"The penalties broke our rhythm," Montreal coach Michel Therrien said. "We lost a lot of fights in front of the net and that didn't make it easy on Peter [Budaj]."

The Senators cruised to victory thanks to a three-goal burst in less than four minutes in the middle stanza.

Only three seconds into a double minor to Montreal's Ryan White, Alfredsson potted his first goal of the season for a 2-1 Ottawa lead at 7:27. Zibanejad then was credited with his first NHL tally at 9:25, seconds before the expiration of the second penalty.

"I try to keep myself calm after a goal, but I couldn't after this one," the 19-year-old Zibanejad said.

Phillips later stepped in from his point position and ripped one home from the right circle and it was 4-1 with 11:02 played.

The Habs had a goal waved off due to a clear high stick by Lars Eller in the first minute of the third period, then Anderson got just enough of a Brandon Prust chance in close to knock it off the goal line with just over four minutes played.

Neil's wraparound from behind the net slipped through Budaj for a 5-1 game with 5:14 left in regulation.

Plekanec managed to sneak a knuckling shot through Anderson from the left post for a power-play score with 5 1/2 minutes played in the opening period, then O'Brien fluttered one home from the slot to tie the game at 7:53.

Game Notes

Anderson's career record stands at 136-110-29 with two ties for the Blackhawks, Panthers, Avalanche and Senators ... The Canadiens won four of six from the Senators last season, including two of three in Canada's capital ... Ottawa defenseman Sergei Gonchar missed the game with a lower-body injury and forward Jason Spezza with an upper-body injury reported to be related to a back issue ... Montreal played without newly-signed defenseman PK Subban ... Alfredsson's career stats in 86 games against the Habs improved to 30 goals and 104 points.