OTTAWA -- Jason Spezza helped the Ottawa Senators
bounce back from a disappointing loss.
Spezza's goal 2:48 into overtime lifted the Senators to a 4-3
triumph over the Montreal Canadiens, who had a three-game
winning streak snapped.
Ottawa opened the season with six straight wins, but failed to
hold a two-goal lead Monday en route to a 3-2 loss to Carolina.
The Senators appeared to be in position for another loss after
Mike Ribeiro scored two straight power-play goals to give the
Canadiens a 3-2 edge.
"We did not want to lose two games in a row," Spezza said. "It
was nice to get that win, to squeak it out."
However, Antoine Vermette scored an unassisted goal less than
four minutes into the final session to tie it and neither team
was able to net the go-ahead tally in regulation.
In overtime, Dany Heatley poked the puck away from Richard
Zednik in the Montreal zone and flipped it ahead to Spezza, who
made a move to get around defenseman Sheldon Souray. Spezza
brought the puck to his backhand and lifted the game-winner past
goaltender Jose Theodore into the top left corner.
"It was kind of instinct," said Spezza, who scored his fifth
goal. "Everyone was tired, I was tired. It was nice to get in
and end it. I just took a chance on making a move and it worked
out in the end."
"It's always frustrating to lose in overtime, but we still got a
big point," said Theodore, who made 38 saves. "Ottawa is one
of the better teams in the league and we know why tonight."
Spezza also assisted on Heatley's goal with 13:04 left in the
second period that gave Ottawa a 2-1 lead.
Heatley has scored at least one point in all eight of Ottawa's
games.
Ribeiro, who scored two goals in his last game, also had an
assist and Michael Ryder recorded three points for Montreal,
which has played five straight one-goal games.
Ray Emery stopped 27 shots for the Senators, who rested six-time
Vezina Trophy winner Dominik Hasek. Both of Emery's starts
have come in triumphs over the Canadiens.