Vancouver Canucks at Ottawa Senators


KANATA, Ontario -- Shaun Van Allen scored twice during a three-goal first period and Alexei Yashin had a goal and two assists as the Ottawa Senators held off the Vancouver Canucks 6-4 Monday night.

Steve Duchesne had a goal and an assist and Janne Laukkanen and Randy Cunneyworth set up two goals apiece for Ottawa, which improved to 5-2-3 in its last 10 games. The Senators swept the season series from Vancouver and recorded double-digit wins at home for the first time in their five-year history.

"I think we've always been a good team this year, we just have to push a little harder and lately we've been doing that," Yashin said. "I really have been enjoying playing lately, but I don't think it's just me, it's a team game and a line game and we're just all playing well right now."

Ottawa built a 5-1 lead and had a three-goal advantage entering the third period, but David Roberts scored on a wrist shot from the slot, his eighth goal, at 5:55 of the final period to pull Vancouver within 5-3.

Mike Ridley's 15th goal with 8:24 remaining made it a one-goal game. Ridley deflected Alexander Mogilny's backhand pass by goaltender Damian Rhodes, capping a three-on-two break.

The Canucks had heavy pressure in the Ottawa zone before Senators winger Denny Lambert made a perfect breakout pass to Alexandre Daigle, who converted the ensuing breakaway for his 20th goal with 78 seconds left, sealing the victory.

"We played well in Toronto (a 2-1 win Saturday) and I think this was just a carryover from that," Ottawa's Shawn McEachern said. "Yashin played really well again and Daigle at the end, too. We just had a lot of guys play well tonight."

Ridley had a goal and two assists and Bret Hedican and Roberts added a goal and assist apiece for the Canucks, who have dropped four straight on the road.

Vancouver coach Tom Renney was asked if he thought his team expected an easy two points because they were playing Ottawa.

"This is one of the most improved teams in the NHL. They play their systems really well and they're well-coached," he said. "In no way shape or form did we think we had two points by acclimation."

Pavel Bure's 22nd goal 4:15 into the game gave Vancouver a 1-0 lead, but Ottawa scored the next five goals.

Van Allen's first of the game and fifth of the season 71 seconds later tied it and Yashin's team-leading 24th goal with 2:17 left in the first gave Ottawa a 2-1 lead. Van Allen's second tally of the contest with 18 seconds to go in the period made it 3-1.

"We feel we have a good chance to go in the playoffs and we all have to help each other get there," Laukkanen said. "Lately we've all been on the same page ... we always have to have all five guys working hard like we did most of tonight."

Duchesne's eighth goal at 4:18 of the second period extended the lead to 4-1. Andreas Dackell scored his eighth goal, a power-play tally 88 seconds later, for a 5-1 advantage. That chased starting goaltender Corey Hirsch, who allowed five goals on 21 shots.

"We had too deep a hole, it's a fine line between winning and losing and when you make mistakes in this league you're usually gonna pay," Canucks captain Trevor Linden said. "I can't say we didn't work hard, we just didn't get the breaks."

Kirk McLean replaced Hirsch and stopped 14 of the final 15 shots.

Rhodes finished with 17 saves for Ottawa, which was one for five on the power play and is two for 34 over its last seven games.



Jon's 3 stars:

1. Alexei Yashin
2. Shaun Van Allen
3. Mike Ridley



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