PHILADELPHIA – Ottawa had a shootout to savor to make up for a second period it wanted to forget.
Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek scored shootout goals to bail out the Senators after they wasted a three-goal first-period lead in a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson, Chris Neil all scored in the opening period for the Senators in their first game since Monday. While the rest of the NHL played on without them, the Senators were reduced to helpless scoreboard watchers as they try to keep seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
For now, the spot is Ottawa’s.
But they nearly squandered a big chance to earn two points.
“Our team does a good job of being resilient and showing a little character and coming back,” Senators coach Paul MacLean said.
Senators goalie Craig Anderson was fantastic and flawless in overtime, stopping six shots over a thrilling five minutes during which the Flyers dominated in every way but on the scoreboard.
“We could have scored four or five goals there,” Flyers coach Peter Laviolette. “It just didn’t drop.”
Wayne Simmonds, Sean Couturier and Braydon Coburn evened it at 3 with goals in the second period for the Flyers. Matt Read scored in the shootout for the Flyers.
BLACKHAWKS 5, PREDATORS 4: In Nashville, Tenn., Brent Seabrook scored at 8:19 of the third period, and Chicago clinched a playoff berth.
Nashville won the season series 4-1-1, but Chicago pulled within a point of the fourth-place Predators in the Western Conference and tied idle Detroit with 97 points.
Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist, Patrick Sharp and Dave Bolland each scored power-play goals, and Viktor Stalberg had a goal for Chicago.
BRUINS 6, ISLANDERS 3: In Uniondale, N.Y., Brad Marchand snapped a third-period tie with his team-leading 27th goal, and playoff-bound Boston ended New York’s minuscule postseason chances.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins, who lead the Northeast Division, had plenty of support as a large throng of fans cheering “Let’s Go Bruins” throughout while decked out in black and gold jerseys filled the Nassau Coliseum and made up about half of the sellout crowd.
CAPITALS 3, CANADIENS 2, SO: In Washington, the Capitals welcomed back Nicklas Backstrom and took a big step toward the playoffs, blowing a two-goal lead for the second game in a row before taking the shootout.
The result, coupled with Toronto’s 4-3 win over Buffalo, moved the Capitals two points clear of the Sabres with three games to play. Washington also moved within two points of Southeast Division leader Florida.
DEVILS 5, HURRICANES 0: In Raleigh, N.C., Ilya Kovalchuk had a goal and two assists, Martin Brodeur made 22 saves in his third shutout of the season and New Jersey clinched a playoff berth.
Petr Sykora added a goal and an assist for the Devils.
MAPLE LEAFS 4, SABRES 3. In Toronto, Joey Crabb had a goal and an assist, Ben Scrivens made 29 saves and Toronto ended a team-record 11 game home losing streak.
Phil Kessel, John-Michael Liles and Matt Frattin also scored, and Clarke MacArthur added two assists.
LIGHTNING 3, JETS 2, OT: At Tampa, Fla., Steven Stamkos scored his NHL-leading 56th goal 45 seconds into overtime for Tampa Bay.
Stamkos picked up his NHL-record fifth OT goal in one season, scoring from the left circle.
