Islanders edge Senators, foil Alfredsson celebration
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ottawa, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Casey Cizikas' goal with 6:27 remaining spoiled an emotional night for the Ottawa Senators while lifting the New York Islanders to a 2-1 victory.
The Senators honored franchise icon Daniel Alfredsson, who signed a one-day contract with the team on Thursday to officially announce his retirement, prior to the game's start. However, Ottawa mustered just 21 shots and Mika Zibanejad's power-play goal to extend their losing streak to four games.
"It was fun to be a part of and I think it was well done," Senators captain Erik Karlsson said of the ceremony. "That was the positive of the day, obviously, we didn't win the game."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Brock Nelson added a goal in the red-hot Islanders' eighth win in their last nine outings, while Jaroslav Halak posted 20 saves to set a team record with his 11th consecutive win between the pipes.
Craig Anderson stopped 23 shots for Ottawa, which was coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to New York in Long Island in Tuesday's opener of this home-and- home set.
Despite its low offensive output, Ottawa played the Islanders even until Cizikas broke the 1-1 stalemate in the 54th minute.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Thomas Hickey set up the game-winner with a centering pass that hit off a Senators defender and went straight to an uncovered Cizikas, who ripped a shot from the right circle past Anderson.
"It was huge," Cizikas said. "(Hickey) found me backdoor with a nice pass and I was able to get it off quick enough. Might not have been the hardest shot, but it went in."
Halak made the lead hold up by making four of his 12 third-period saves in the final six minutes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}After neither team generated much offensively during an uneventful opening period, the Islanders struck on a power play with 8:15 left in the second to take a 1-0 lead. Frans Nielsen's pass into the crease hit the skate of Ottawa's Cody Ceci and was promptly jammed in by Nelson for his team-leading 12th goal of the season.
Penalties by Nelson and Brian Strait 43 seconds apart allowed the Senators to pull even with about five minutes left in the second, however. Zibanejad converted the 5-on-3 chance with a well-placed one-timer from the left circle off an Erik Karlsson give.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Alfredsson spent his first 17 NHL seasons with Ottawa before a one-year stint with Detroit in 2013-14, and is the Senators' all-time leader in goals (426), points (1,108) and games played (1,178) ... Halak had held the Islanders' record for consecutive wins by a goalie with Billy Smith (1982) ... New York's Michael Grabner (hernia surgery) and Ottawa defenseman Marc Methot (back) both made their season debuts ... Senators forward Bobby Ryan returned from a two- game absence caused by a broken finger ... Defenseman Travis Hamonic (upper body) and forward Cal Clutterbuck (lower body) both sat out for the Islanders after sustaining injuries in Tuesday's matchup.