Lalime Keeps Senators Climbing

The Ottawa Senators are quite comfortable among the NHL’s best teams.

“I think we’re one of them too,” goaltender Patrick Lalime said after earning his team-record 23rd win of the season to lead the Senators to a 4-1 victory Thursday night over the Colorado Avalanche at Ottawa.

Alexei Yashin and Shawn McEachern each had a goal and an assist as Ottawa won its third consecutive game, including Wednesday’s 3-2 victory at New Jersey, to open a four-point lead over the New Jersey Devils atop the Eastern Conference.

“We responded pretty well,” Lalime said. “We played our tempo tonight and that’s the way we have to do it. We had a big road game last night and we came up with a big win again tonight.”

Daniel Alfredsson and Magnus Arvedson also scored for the Senators.

McEachern assisted on Alfredsson’s 13th goal 2:01 into the first.

Lalime, who stopped 25 shots, set the Senators’ single-season record for wins that was shared by Damian Rhodes and Ron Tugnutt. That duo each had 22 wins during the 1998-99 season.

“When you win, it’s a team thing,” Lalime said. “I give credit to everybody. Those 23 wins, there are a few more to go and we’ve just got to keep looking for them.”

Yashin scored his 27th goal of the season just 52 seconds into the second period to make it 2-0 and assisted on McEachern’s 20th--the 200th goal of his career--on a power play at 9:57 to put Ottawa ahead, 3-0.

Philadelphia 5, Toronto 2--Mark Recchi had two goals and one assist and tough guy Todd Fedoruk had a goal and an assist at Philadelphia as the Flyers defeated the Maple Leafs.

Dan McGillis and P.J. Stock added goals for Philadelphia, which won its third consecutive game to move into a tie with New Jersey atop the Atlantic Division.

Boston 6, Tampa Bay 3--Jason Allison tied a career-high with five points, including two goals and two assists during the Bruins’ four-goal first period at Tampa, Fla.

Joe Thornton, who had two goals and an assist, and Allison scored five-on-three power-play goals in the game’s first 2:07.

Buffalo 3, Atlanta 1--Rhett Warrener broke a second-period tie, and the Sabres finally hung on to a late lead at Buffalo, N.Y.

Miroslav Satan had a goal and assist and Maxim Afinogenov scored for the Sabres, who had squandered third-period leads in three of their previous four losses.

St. Louis 4, Calgary 1--Peter Smrek scored the first two goals of his career, including the winner early in the third period, as the Blues defeated the Flames at St. Louis in a game delayed over 90 minutes because of a power outage.

Pierre Turgeon had two assists for the Blues, who are unbeaten in their last six games (3-0-3) and regained first place overall in the NHL. St. Louis is a point ahead of Colorado.

Around the League

Ottawa Senator General Manager Marshall Johnston says he has no intention of signing defenseman Marty McSorley, who on Saturday joined the team’s IHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. In an interview with a New York television station, Coach Jacques Martin didn’t rule out acquiring the 37-year-old. “Time will tell,” Martin said, when asked if McSorley could help his club. . . . Chicago Blackhawk forward Steve Sullivan, who leads the team with 54 points, has signed a multiyear deal with the team. . . . Forward Francis Belanger signed a two-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens, who recalled him from the AHL’s Quebec Citadelles. . . . The Vancouver Canucks assigned winger Steve Kariya and defenseman Greg Hawgood to Kansas City of the IHL.