HURRICANES 2, SENATORS 1: Cam Ward lost his shutout with 12.4 seconds left, but made 38 saves as visiting Carolina snapped Ottawa’s four-game winning streak.

Ward made 13 saves in the first period and 15 in the third and the Hurricanes killed five Ottawa power plays. Brandon Sutter and Tuomo Ruutu recorded goals for Carolina, which had lost four of five coming in.

Jason Spezza scored his fourth goal against Carolina this season on a rebound for Ottawa, which can finish no better than seventh in the Eastern Conference.

After a scoreless first period, the Hurricanes jumped in front 1:33 into the second. Sutter’s high shot from the left circle trickled over goalie Craig Anderson’s right shoulder and into the net.

Ottawa defenseman Erik Karlsson made a big stop with his stick on Jeff Skinner’s shot that skidded across the goal line with Anderson out of net. The Senators thought they tied it at 12:46 but Chris Neil was ruled to have batted in a rebound.

Ruutu made it 2-0 Carolina after two periods, redirecting a Jussi Jokinen pass into the net on the power play at 17:54.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Spezza returned to the lineup after missing a game due to the birth of his second child. Captain Daniel Alfredsson, who assisted on Spezza’s goal, was back after missing the last contest with the flu. …Carolina defenseman Bryan Allen played his 599th career NHL game. …The teams, who had not played since Dec. 23, split four games. … Ottawa defenseman Sergei Gonchar was scratched with a lower-body injury.