Senators shut out Devils as Anderson makes 34 saves, Turris nets 2
Ottawa Senators goalie Craig Anderson felt he was playing well even if the results showed otherwise.
Anderson put it all together against New Jersey on Wednesday night, making 34 saves in the Senators' 2-0 win over the Devils.
Kyle Turris provided the offense with a pair of goals.
The spotlight clearly belonged to Anderson, who was 2-6-2 in his previous 10 starts.
"Things weren't going as badly as they looked," Anderson said. "I just had a couple bad bounces here and there. Hopefully, my luck changed for the good tonight."
Anderson had some luck, but he was also very good.
"You have to give Craig Anderson credit," Devils coach Pete DeBoer said. "We looked like we could have shot 100 pucks, and nothing was getting by him."
Anderson earned his third shutout of the season and 29th in his NHL career. New Senators coach Dave Cameron improved to 2-1-1 since he replaced the fired Paul MacLean.
The Devils, whose losing streak was extended to five games, went 0 for 5 on the power play -- stymied by Anderson throughout.
Turris gave the Senators a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal 2:47 in on Ottawa's first shot of the game. Turris was off balance as he deflected Erik Karlsson's point shot past Cory Schneider for his first goal in 11 games.
He added an empty-net goal in the final second of the game.
The Devils, lethargic at the start, picked up their game after falling behind. New Jersey outshot Ottawa 10-4 in the first period but couldn't beat Anderson.
Patrik Elias, activated from the injured list earlier Wednesday, came closest with a drive that rang off the post.
The frustration built for the Devils in the scoreless second period as they outshot the Senators 16-4.
Anderson came up with save after save and stopped Jaromir Jagr twice early in the period. The first was Jagr's power-play blast from the left circle. Anderson later stretched to make a skate stop on Jagr, denying a 2-on-1 break with Scott Gomez.
Anderson was on his toes throughout the period. One of his best stops was made with two minutes left when he turned aside a wrist shot by Elias.
New Jersey kept pressing in the third, and Anderson made early close-in stops on Elias and Adam Henrique.
"We were all over him, getting pressure, but we've got to find a way to get one in," Henrique said. "That game was there for us. It's a tough one to give up."
Anderson almost scored in the final seconds into the empty Devils net, but his clearing shot rolled just wide.
"I've waited my whole life for a chance like that and I may never get it again," Anderson said. "I hooked it a little, considering I'm a lefty. I knew I had to get it up in the air to have a shot. I thought it was in."
The Senators, while happy with the victory, know they won't win many games being outshot 34-16.
"I don't think this was a game that we necessarily deserved to win, but we'll take it," Turris said.
NOTES: The Devils opened a four-game homestand following a stretch of 15 of 20 games on the road. ... The Senators concluded a three-game road trip. They will host Anaheim on Friday. ... The Devils scratched LW Dainius Zubrus (leg laceration), LW Mike Cammalleri (lower body) and D Damon Severson (lower body). Ottawa scratched LW Colin Greening and D Patrick Wiercioch. ... Defenseman Eric Gelinas led the Devils with six shots. Elias had five.
