Recap: Ottawa vs. Carolina

Ottawa, ON (Sports Network) - Mika Zibanejad and Milan Michalek scored one goal apiece as the Ottawa Senators downed the Carolina Hurricanes, 3-2, on Tuesday.

Chris Neil added a goal and Sergei Gonchar had two assists for the Senators, who sit one point ahead of the New York Islanders for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

"We keep climbing and putting ourselves in a good situation," Neil said. "We don't want to have to see if a team is going to lose to see if we make the playoffs. We want to go in hot, we want to go in winning.

Craig Anderson turned away 32-of-34 shots in the win.

Justin Faulk and Eric Staal both tallied for the Hurricanes. Justin Peters made 31 saves, but allowed all three goals in the setback.

"Obviously you can see there is a lot of fight left in us," Faulk said. "There was a lot of effort there, and guys are sticking up for each other. We played hard, just didn't go our way I guess."

Zibanejad scored with 2:38 left in the first period to give the Senators a 1-0 lead. Cory Conacher took a cross-ice pass from Gonchar near the Carolina zone, skated around the net and found Zibanejad all alone in front of the goal.

Milan Michalek added a goal six minutes into the middle session to put the hosts up 2-0. Michalek bobbled the puck near two defenders, but was able to gain control and ripped a snap shot into the back of the net.

Faulk pulled the Hurricanes within 2-1 with a tally at the midway point of the second. He controlled a loose puck near the right circle and fired away. Anderson was able to get a piece of the puck, but it trickled into the net.

Neil's tally with 7:48 remaining in the second made it 3-1 Ottawa. Guillaume Latendresse found Neil on a two-on-one in front of the net and Neil tapped it in for the two-goal cushion.

Staal took a cross-ice feed and cashed in on the open net for his 17th goal of the year, but it wasn't enough for the Hurricanes, who have dropped eight of their last nine games.