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Senators top Rangers in preseason opener

Sep 21, 2008 - 1:37 AM OTTAWA (Ticker) -- After ending 2007-08 on a sour note, the Ottawa Senators began the preseason in impressive fashion.

Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza scored first-period goals and Mike Fisher also tallied as the Senators skated to a 3-2 triumph over the New York Rangers on Saturday.

Following their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007, Ottawa won 16 of its first 19 games last season. But the club ultimately went into a tailspin and limped into the playoffs, where it was swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

With Craig Hartsburg brought in to help turn around their fortunes, the Senators got off to a quick start against the Rangers as Heatley fired a one-timer from the right faceoff circle into the top right corner of the net just 2:57 into the contest for a 1-0 lead.

Ottawa never looked back as Spezza, who led the team with 92 points last campaign, scored on a shorthanded breakaway with 6:43 to go in the first period and Fisher banged a rebound past goaltender Stephen Valiquette 2:12 into the second for a 3-0 bulge.

Martin Gerber allowed one goal on 24 shots and Brian Elliott made 11 saves for the Senators, who open the regular season in Sweden against the Penguins on October 4.

Miika Wiikman stopped all eight shots he faced in relief of Valiquette and Brandon Dubinsky netted a power-play goal and a shorthander for New York, which also begins the 2008-09 campaign overseas as it faces Tampa Bay in the Czech Republic - also on October 4.