SPORTS

Senators down Leafs 5-3 to pick up sixth win in a row

The Canadian Press Published Saturday, March 21, 2015 10:10PM EDT

Ottawa Senators' Milan Michalek slams Toronto Maple Leafs' Eric Brewer into the boards during first period NHL hockey action in Ottawa, Ontario, on March 21, 2015. (Sean Kilpatrick / AP Photo / The Canadian Press)

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OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Senators extended their winning streak to six games as they defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 Saturday night.

Kyle Turris' second-period goal held up as the game winner and he added an empty-net goal with 46.6 seconds remaining to seal the win.

Mike Hoffman, Erik Karlsson and Curtis Lazar also scored for the Senators (36-24-11). Andrew Hammond, making his sixth straight start, improved his record to 13-0-1 in his first 14 NHL starts as he faced 24 shots.

Joakim Lindstrom, Leo Komarov and Tim Erixon scored for the Leafs (27-40-6), who are on a five-game slide. James Reimer allowed three goals on 18 shots before being replaced by Jonathan Bernier, who allowed one goal on 23 shots.

This was the first of three meetings between the two teams over the next two weeks.

The win was costly for the Senators as they lost Milan Michalek late in the first period after taking a shot to the head and then Matt Puempel left in the second after blocking a shot.

The Senators had two power-play opportunities in the third, but were unable to capitalize on either.

Down 2-0, the Leafs were able to cut the lead in half as Lindstrom tipped Dion Phaneuf's point shot. Ottawa regained the two-goal lead less than a minute later as Lazar fired a high shot mid-stride to put an end to Reimer's night.

The Leafs took advantage of an Ottawa turnover and Komarov was able to beat Hammond stick side. Erixon fired a shot from the blue-line soon after to tie it 3-3.

Ottawa managed to regain the lead in the final minute of the period as Turris, with his 20th, scored on the power play.

The Senators got the start they wanted in the first, jumping out to a 2-0 lead on goals from Hoffman and Karlsson.

Ottawa opened the scoring at the 13-minute mark after Alex Chiasson found Hoffman in the slot to pick up his team-leading 25th. Three minutes later Karlsson beat Reimer glove side.

Notes-- D Jared Cowen and C Colin Greening were healthy scratches. LW Clarke MacArthur skated with the team for the first time since suffering a concussion Feb. 16. Toronto D Eric Brewer played his 1,000th NHL game. C Peter Holland remains sidelined with a lower-body injury.