NHL Update: Ottawa Senators defeat New York Islanders 6-4
Robin Lehner turned aside 20 shots and registered a victory in his first NHL start as the Ottawa Senators defeated the New York Islanders 6-4 at Nassau Coliseum on Thursday.
Jesse Winchester and Chris Kelly each netted a goal and had an assist for Ottawa, who snapped a six-game losing streak by recording just seven goals during the slide.
Daniel Alfredsson and Nick Foligno both notched a goal while Milan Michalek and Zack Smith also lit the lamp for the winners.
"All four lines contributed," said Senators centre Corey Locke. "Our defence was solid and Robin played great in the net. It was great to be a part of it."
Milan Jurcina and Trevor Gillies each had a goal and a helper for New York, who continue to slip with three consecutive losses. P.A. Parenteau and Blake Comeau also added a goal in the defeat.
Kevin Poulin began the play for Islanders, but after yielding 2 goals on 8 shots, he was pulled in favour for Nathan Lawson, who then allowed four goals in the second period. Poulin was
called back in the final period where he stopped 11 shots.
It took only 32 seconds for Ottawa to get on the board when Mike Fisher gathered a pass just outside the offensive zone. He then skated into the zone where he slipped a pass to Alfredsson,
who stuffed home a rebound off of his initial shot.
Gillies lifted New York into a 1-1 tie just after seven minutes. It happened so when charging Gillies, at the top of the crease, received a crossing pass from Zenon Konopka and put the disc
into the net with his body. The goal was confirmed after a video review.
Winchester put Senators ahead with 2-1 lead in the tenth minute of the first period. He got a loose puck near the left boards and brought it into the face-off circle where he knocked it
past Poulin with a wrist shot.
The 20-year-old Islanders' goaltender was pulled after this goal and he was replaced by Lawson who was dented for four goals in the middle period.
Ottawa gained two-goal edge 3-1 on a short-handed goal from Michalek in the eighth minute of the second period. Matt Carkner set up the play by chipping a nice pass from the defensive zone
to mid-ice where Kelly led a 2-on-1 rush. He then ended the charge by crossing it to Michalek, who tipped it past an outstretched Lawson.
Both teams continued to trade scores just 20 seconds apart from each other.
In the 11th minute of the second period, Comeau tallied a goal for Islanders and made it a one-goal game 3-2. He collected a rebound in the slot and blasted a shot from the left face-off
circle which went into the back of the net.
"It seems like a trend for us in the first period," Comeau said. "The guys were embarrassed, basically."
Senators negated Islanders goal with three straight goals of their own. Just 20 seconds after Comeau's goal, Kelly's goal off a scorching wrist shot from the point initiated the rally and
Senators were back ahead by two.
Foligno enhanced the lead up to 5-2 when he knocked his own rebound into the net in the 14th minute and then Smith nailed one to make it 6-2 in the 15th minute of the second period.
Parenteau halved the deficit to 6-3 for New York early in the final period and then Jurcina fired a point shot past Lehner to account for the final scoring 6-4 in 10 ½ minutes of the last
period.
"We have to be ready to play," Jurcina said. "We need to have better starts."
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