Recap: Ottawa vs. Montreal

Ottawa, ON (Sports Network) - Daniel Alfredsson, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Phillips scored in the second period, as the Ottawa Senators downed the Montreal Canadiens, 5-1, at Scotiabank Place.

Jim O'Brien and Chris Neil added tallies for the Senators, who have won two in a row since a two-game losing streak.

Craig Anderson continued his strong early play, stopping 31-of-32 shots. With a victory in his 300th NHL game, the 31-year-old native of suburban Chicago improved to 5-0-1 this season.

Tomas Plekanec recorded the lone goal and Peter Budaj was tagged for all five goals on 27 shots for the Canadiens, whose four-game win streak came to a halt.

"The penalties broke our rhythm," Montreal coach Michel Therrien said. "We lost a lot of fights in front of the net and that didn't make it easy on Peter [Budaj]."

The Senators cruised to victory thanks to a three-goal burst in less than four minutes in the middle stanza.

Only three seconds into a double minor to Montreal's Ryan White, Alfredsson potted his first goal of the season for a 2-1 Ottawa lead at 7:27. Zibanejad then was credited with his first NHL tally at 9:25, seconds before the expiration of the second penalty.

"I try to keep myself calm after a goal, but I couldn't after this one," the 19-year-old Zibanejad said.

Phillips later stepped in from his point position and ripped one home from the right circle and it was 4-1 with 11:02 played.

The Habs had a goal waved off due to a clear high stick by Lars Eller in the first minute of the third period, then Anderson got just enough of a Brandon Prust chance in close to knock it off the goal line with just over four minutes played.

Neil's wraparound from behind the net slipped through Budaj for a 5-1 game with 5:14 left in regulation.

Plekanec managed to sneak a knuckling shot through Anderson from the left post for a power-play score with 5 1/2 minutes played in the opening period, then O'Brien fluttered one home from the slot to tie the game at 7:53.