Martin Biron has 28 saves to lift Islanders to 4-1 win over Senators

Biron’s 28 saves lead Islanders over Senators, 4-1

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Martin Biron had 28 saves to lead the New York Islanders to a 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

John Tavares, Dylan Reese and Jack Hillen each scored goals in the second period to start the blowout.

Sean Bergenheim added another goal in the final period. Blake Comeau and Richard Park each had two assists.

Matt Cullen’s close-range goal late in the third ended Biron’s bid for his 27th career shutout.

The loss snapped Ottawa’s six-game win streak.

The Islanders won for the fourth time in five games to stay alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race, scoring 17 goals in its last four games.

The Senators clinched a return trip to the playoffs on Thursday and remained seven points ahead of Montreal for fifth-place with three games remaining. The Canadiens hosted Buffalo later.

New York came up empty on seven shots in the first period, but scored three goals on its first six shots in the second off goalie Brian Elliott.

Rookies Tavares and Reese scored exactly two minutes apart and second-year veteran Hillen added another to deflate a Senators club that fell four points behind New Jersey for fourth place in the East.

Comeau opened the barrage on a 3-on-2 rush, setting up Tavares’ high-slot goal 1:19 into the period.

Tavares scored for the first time in 17 games at Nassau Coliseum, ripping a shot into the top-right corner for his 22nd goal. Comeau has six points in his last three games.

Just two minutes later, Reese’s right circle slap shot moved through traffic in front to beat Elliot. New York got another goal from a defenseman when Hillen’s between-the-circles wrist shot beat Elliot high glove-side midway through the period for a 3-0 lead.

Former Islander Chris Campoli nearly ended the shutout bid two minutes into the third before his point shot hit the right post and skipped away from the goal mouth.

Bergenheim redirected a point-blank rebound for his ninth goal at 4:13 for a four-goal edge. Tavares’ primary assist gave the top overall pick 11 multigoal games this season.

Ottawa’s Jason Spezza had scored seven goals and 12 assists in his last 15 games against the Islanders but was held scoreless on three shots.

NOTES: Ottawa D Andy Sutton was hit with a 10-minute misconduct penalty on his first trip to Long Island since New York traded him last month. … Goal-scoring co-leader Milan Michalek (leg) and top-scoring defenseman Filip Kuba (lower body) were scratched. … Biron started consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 6. … Trevor Gillies bloodied Ottawa defenseman Matt Carkner in a center-ice fight early in the final period. … A fan won a car after successfully shooting a puck into a small opening during a second-intermission contest.

(This version CORRECTS to four points behind New Jersey.)