Senators shut down Rangers, continue push toward playoffs
Shane Pinto and Warren Foegele scored in the first two periods as the Ottawa Senators continued their playoff push by clamping down defensively in a 2-1 victory over the host New York Rangers on Monday night.
The Senators (37-24-9, 83 points) moved within two points of the New York Islanders for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Ottawa also trails the Detroit Red Wings by one point, and the Atlantic Division foes face each other on Tuesday.
Ottawa also improved to 14-3-2 in its past 19 games and 17-5-4 in its last 26, a stretch that started with sweeping the Vancouver Canucks and Rangers on a back-to-back set Jan. 13-14.
Pinto scored late during a power play following a hooking penalty to Taylor Raddysh when he took a pass from Claude Giroux at the edge of the left circle and lifted a shot over goalie Igor Shesterkin 6:30 into the contest when the Senators took the first 11 shots on goal.
Foegele scored for the third straight game and fifth time in nine games with Ottawa when he was left open at the right scored and one-timed a cross-ice pass from Lars Eller by Shesterkin 6:46 into the second.
The Senators ended their latest win with four defensemen after losing Thomas Chabot and Lassi Thomson. Chabot did not return after getting hit in the right arm by New York captain J.T. Miller's stick in the waning seconds of the first and Thomson, playing in his first game since Nov. 25, exited in the second.
Conor Sheary scored for the Rangers with 12:57 left in the third by getting by Pinto to the left side of the crease and sliding the puck into the vacated side of the net.
Ottawa goalie James Reimer made eight saves for his fourth straight win.
After honoring Mika Zibanejad in a pregame ceremony for appearing in his 1,000th career regular-season game on Monday, the Rangers tied a season worst with their fifth straight loss. Zibanejad finished with three of New York's shots on goal as the Rangers were held to one goal or fewer for the 17th time this season.
Shesterkin made 31 saves.