Mike Hoffman scores winner as Senators edge Blue Jackets 3-2

OTTAWA - Mike Hoffman made up for missing a penalty shot by scoring the game winner Saturday night as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2.

David Legwand and Erik Karlsson also scored for Ottawa (4-1-0), which has now won four straight, as Robin Lehner faced 40 shots.

Nick Foligno and David Savard scored for the Blue Jackets (3-2-0).

Curtis McElhinney allowed two goals on 16 shots before being replaced by Sergei Bobrovsky, who gave up one goal on 18 shots.

With the score tied 2-2 Hoffman, who had been a healthy scratch the past two games, used his speed to get to the net and beat Bobrovsky on the backhand midway through the third.

The Senators nearly let this one slip away as Columbus scored two goals 41 seconds apart in the second to tie the game 2-2, quieting the crowd of 18,994 at Canadian Tire Centre.

Ottawa had made it 2-0 at the seven-minute mark on Karlsson's goal that was reviewed after McElhinney was knocked over by Nick Foligno as he made the save and slid into the back of the net. The goal stood, but it was the end of the night for McElhinney, who was injured on the play.

Foligno, who scored his first NHL goal on this night seven years ago, was credited with the first goal for Columbus, but in reality it went in off Curtis Lazar's skate. Seconds later Savard tied the game with a shot from the point that got through traffic, prompting Senators coach Paul MacLean to call a timeout.

Both teams had a solid first period, but in the end the Senators led 1-0 on Legwand's goal as he beat McElhinney through the legs.

The Blue Jackets had two great chances, but were robbed by Lehner. Lehner managed to get his stick down on the goal line on what looked like a sure goal by Alexander Wennberg and later in the period Lehner stopped Cam Atkinson.

Hoffman was awarded a penalty shot after being pulled down by James Wisniewski, but was unable to score as he lost the puck.

This was the first of four road games for the Blue Jackets as they head west to continue in San Jose on Thursday.

Notes — The Senators will be without D Marc Methot (back, indefinite). D Jared Cowen, RW Erik Condra and LW Colin Greening were healthy scratches for Ottawa. Columbus was without C Marko Dano (undisclosed), C Brandon Dubinsky (Lower body), LW Sonny Milano (face), RW Nathan Horton (back), C Boone Jenner (hand) and D Ryan Murray (knee). D Cody Goloubef and RW Adam Cracknell were a healthy scratch.