National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Ottawa 5, Winnipeg 3
When: 3:00 PM ET, Saturday, March 8, 2014
Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Referees: Gord Dwyer, Dave Jackson
Linesmen: Mike Cvik, Brad Kovachik
Attendance: 15004

Senators 5, Jets 3: Mike Hoffman recorded his first NHL goal and assist, Ales Hemsky and captain Jason Spezza each set up three tallies and Craig Anderson matched a season high with 46 saves as Ottawa salvaged a split of its four-game road trip.

Milan Michalek collected a power-play goal and two assists while Kyle Turris scored for the second straight contest as the Senators completed a two-game season sweep of the Jets. Defensemen Jared Cowen and Eric Gryba tallied to support Anderson, who also stopped 46 shots in a 2-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Feb. 3.

Dustin Byfuglien scored and set up a goal while fellow defenseman Tobias Enstrom and Bryan Little also tallied for Winnipeg, which has dropped three in a row and five of its last seven (2-3-2) despite unleashing a season-high 49 shots. Al Montoya stopped all 12 shots he faced in relief of Ondrej Pavelec, who yielded five goals on 20 shots.

Gryba gave Ottawa a 3-1 lead at 2:01 of the second period as he followed a foiled 2-on-1 rush and slapped home a loose puck after Jets defenseman Mark Stuart inadvertently crashed into Pavelec. Enstrom trimmed the deficit, but Hoffman set up Turris with a centering feed before blasting a shot from deep in the right faceoff circle 39 seconds later to put the game on ice.

Ottawa opened the scoring midway into the first period as Michalek wired a shot from the slot that caromed off both defenseman Jacob Trouba and Matt Halischuk before trickling over the goal line. Little answered with 3:01 remaining in the session, backhanding the rebound of Byfuglien's blast past Anderson, but the Senators answered 38 seconds later as Cowen's shot from the point fluttered past a screened Pavelec for his first goal since Nov. 15.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Winnipeg players sported camouflage jerseys during pregame warmups in honor of Canadian Armed Forces Appreciation Day. ... Hoffman was playing in his eighth NHL game this season and 12th career. ... The Jets went 2-for-7 on the power play after failing on their previous seven opportunities in March.
Top Game Performances
 
Ottawa   Winnipeg
Milan Michalek 3 Points Dustin Byfuglien 2
Milan Michalek 1 Goals Dustin Byfuglien 1
Ales Hemsky 3 Assists Dustin Byfuglien 1
Milan Michalek 1 Power Play Goals Tobias Enstrom 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Craig Anderson .939 Save Percentage Al Montoya 1.000
Craig Anderson 46 Saves Ondrej Pavelec 15
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Ottawa 32 5 2-4 5-7 23 28
Winnipeg 49 3 2-7 2-4 17 37
Upcoming Games
  • Winnipeg will play their next game on the road against Colorado. The Jets have a W/L % of .467 after a win and .457 after a loss.
  • Ottawa will play their next game at home against Nashville. The Senators have a W/L % of .333 after a win and .514 after a loss.