Senators boost playoff push by beating Rangers 2-1, despite injuries

Ottawa Senators' Claude Giroux (28) drives past New York Rangers' Vincent Trocheck (16) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Shane Pinto scored on the power play, Warren Foegele added his fifth goal in nine games since being traded and the Ottawa Senators made up more ground in their chase to make the NHL playoffs by beating the New York Rangers 2-1 on Monday night.

The Rangers had just nine shots on goal, matching a franchise worst set on Dec. 11, 1955, in a defeat at Detroit — and the fewest in a game by any NHL team since 2003. They lost for a 25th time in 34 home games this season.

Ottawa won its third in a row, improving to 14-3-2 since Jan. 25 and moving two points back of the second and final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 12 games to play.

The latest victory came at a cost of two more injuries to an already depleted defence. Thomas Chabot took a stick to the right arm from J.T. Miller in the final seconds of the first period and Lassi Thomson left his first NHL game since Nov. 25, 2022, during the second because of a lower-body injury. Neither returned.

The Senators, missing Jake Sanderson because of an upper-body injury and Nick Jensen following knee surgery, finished the game with four defencemen.

New York goaltender Igor Shesterkin stopped 31 shots and was the only reason the deficit wasn’t worse. Conor Sheary scored on the Rangers’ seventh shot to end James Reimer’s shutout bid with 13 minutes left.

Mika Zibanejad skated in his 1,000th regular-season game, his 719th with the Rangers after playing his first 281 with Ottawa. Zibanejad was honoured during a pre-game ceremony with a video narrated by his wife, Irma, and presented a silver stick along with a mini version for their young daughter, Ella.

Up next

Senators: Visit the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.

Rangers: Visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.

Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press