OTTAWA (AP) - Brent Johnson made 46 saves, including 16 in the third period, and Dainius Zubrus scored the only goal as the Washington Capitals defeated the Ottawa Senators 1-0 Saturday night.

Johnson recorded his first shutout of the season and the 13th of his career as he frustrated Ottawa shooters, especially in the third period.

Senators goalie Ray Emery, coming off an NHL record-tying 12 wins in March, made 31 saves.

Zubrus scored the only goal of the game after he put a backhand behind Emery with 53 seconds left to play in the second period. With the Capitals on a power play, Alexander Ovechkin took a shot from just inside the point which Emery stopped, but Zubrus pounced on the rebound.

The Senators had chances up to that point, sending 30 shots at Johnson through 40 minutes. Their best chance to score came on a 50-second 5-on-3 advantage in the second period, when Daniel Alfredsson hit the goal post with a shot from the point.

Earlier in the period, Dany Heatley hit a shot off the crossbar and was stopped twice on one-timers.

The Senators (49-17-8) missed an opportunity to move five points up on the Carolina Hurricanes for first overall in the Eastern Conference. The Hurricanes lost 5-2 at Atlanta.

Notes: Emery finished March with a 12-2-2 mark and tied Bernie Parent of the Philadelphia Flyers, who had 12 wins in the month in 1974.