By Canadian Press

Craig Anderson makes 37 saves, Senators hold on to beat Islanders 4-3

Mar 5, 2020 | 7:47 PM

OTTAWA — Craig Anderson made 37 saves to spoil Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s homecoming as the Ottawa Senators beat the New York Islanders 4-3 on Thursday.

Connor Brown, Mikkel Boedker, Anthony Duclair and Brady Tkachuk each scored for the Senators (24-32-12), who hadn’t defeated the Islanders since Dec. 1, 2017.

Pageau was making his return to Ottawa after being traded to the Islanders 11 days ago. Hours after the trade Pageau signed a six-year contract extension. In five games with the Islanders Pageau has two goals.

Pageau, an Ottawa native, was given a video tribute during the first television timeout and fans were quick to start chanting his name as they often did when he scored. The 27-year-old went for a quick skate near the bench to acknowledge the reception.

Anders Lee, Mathew Barzal and Ryan Pulock scored for the Islanders (35-23-8) who are 0-3-2 in their past five games. The Islanders have been outscored 14-5 in the last three games. Semyon Varlamov stopped 25 shots.

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In the third period the Islanders were pressing for the equalizer, but the Senators took a 4-2 lead with just over three minutes remaining as Tkachuk picked up his 20th.

New York made it a one-goal game 65 seconds later when Pulock beat Anderson.

The Islanders put 18 shots on Anderson in the second period, but trailed 3-2 after 40 minutes.

New York took a 2-1 lead early in the second when Jordan Eberle dropped a pass back to Barzal, who fired a wrister from the slot.

The Senators tied the game as Boedker scored shorthanded. Ottawa leads the league with 15 short-handed goals this season.

Duclair gave Ottawa its first lead of the game as he beat Pageau for positioning and scored a pretty goal shortside, top shelf, at 14:26 of the second. 

The Islanders opened the scoring with a power play when Lee potted his 20th of the season, going top shelf on Anderson at 3:58 of the first.

Ottawa tied the game as Brown tucked in a Nikita Zaitsev rebound at 13:57. 

Notes: Ottawa’s Anthony Duclair returned to the lineup after missing the last four games. Artem Anisimov is out with an upper body injury.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 5, 2020.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press