Spotty goaltending and costly injuries have the once soaring Ottawa Senators sputtering into the post-season.
Andrei Kostitsyn scored twice as the Montreal Canadiens built a big lead and then held on for a 7-5 victory over the visiting Senators last night.
Montreal clinched a playoff spot and widened its lead atop the Eastern Conference to three points over the Pittsburgh Penguins, who lost 4-1 to the N.Y. Islanders last night.