Senators 2 - 3 Maple Leafs
Final - 2OT
  for this game

Sens hope to aid playoff push in Toronto

Apr 5, 2015 - 3:03 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - It hasn't been pretty, but the Ottawa Senators are still finding ways to win and keep the pressure on the teams ahead of them in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

The Senators take aim at a fourth straight win when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs in Sunday's Atlantic Division battle at Air Canada Centre.

Ottawa has won three in a row and each of those victories came beyond regulation. The Senators posted a 4-3 overtime decision against visiting Washington on Saturday despite coughing up an early 3-0 lead.

The Sens grabbed a 3-0 cushion in the opening period, but didn't score again until Kyle Turris tallied the winning goal on a breakaway with 1:46 left in OT.

Although it was hardly an impressive victory, the two points gained were essential to Ottawa's postseason cause. The Sens sit outside the East playoff picture with 92 points, leaving them three behind Boston, Detroit and Pittsburgh in the standings. The Bruins and Penguins are occupying the two wild card spots at the moment, while the Red Wings are holding onto the third playoff berth from the Atlantic Division.

Like Detroit and Pittsburgh, Ottawa has four games left in the regular season, while the Bruins only have three tilts remaining on their schedule. The Wings are hosting Washington on Sunday and the Pens play in Philadelphia. Boston, meanwhile, is off until playing at Washington on Wednesday.

Turris' active stick led to the winning play on Saturday. Washington held the puck in the Ottawa zone, when Turris tipped a pass away and caught up to the puck in the neutral zone. Skating on a clean break, he buried his shot past Braden Holtby for the win.

Clarke MacArthur and Mika Zibanejad each posted a goal and an assist while Mark Stone also lit the lamp for the Senators. Andrew Hammond made 29 stops in the win and Erik Karlsson had two assists.

"We got off to a good start and played real well then started sitting back again," said Turris. "We battled and we're able to get the two points, but we can't keep doing this."

Ottawa hopes to avoid a letdown tonight against lowly Toronto, which is playing out the string after a trying season.

However, the Maple Leafs successfully played the spoiler role against Ottawa recently, posting a 4-3 overtime win on March 28 at Air Canada Centre. The Sens blew a 3-1 lead in the third period, surrendering the game-tying goal to Tyler Bozak with just 1:24 left in regulation. The Maple Leafs later won it on an overtime goal from Eric Brewer.

Ottawa is 2-1-1 in the season series versus the Leafs, but has lost five straight games in Toronto.

The Maple Leafs fell 2-1 in a shootout decision against Boston on Saturday. It was the second straight loss for Toronto and its ninth in 11 games.

James Reimer made 49 saves to secure the point for the Maple Leafs, who received a second-period score from James van Riemsdyk.

Jonathan Bernier will start Sunday's game in net and will likely face Hammond.

Toronto has won its last two home games and is 21-17-1 as the host this season.






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