Lightning 4, Senators 2

OTTAWA (AP) -Tampa Bay's persistent effort paid off with a rare win in a city often unkind to the Lightning.

Ruslan Fedotenko, Paul Ranger and Vincent Lecavalier all scored in the third period to help the Lightning rally for a 4-2 victory over the Senators on Thursday night. It was just their seventh win in 27 visits to the Canadian capital.

"We exorcised a demon," Lightning coach John Tortorella said. "During this little jam we've played hard, we just haven't made a big play or get a big save to win hockey games."

Martin St. Louis also scored for the Lightning, and Marc Denis made 16 saves.

Dany Heatley and Antoine Vermette scored for Ottawa. The Senators have lost two straight and six of their past eight.

"It just seems like the wheels come off in the third period," said Wade Redden, who missed Ottawa's past nine games with an upper body injury "We give up a goal, which is fine, but then we only get two or three shots. We totally got away from what we need to do to be successful."

Fedotenko beat Ottawa goalie Ray Emery on a long shot at 2:30 of the third to tie it at 2. Ranger put the Lightning ahead with a shot from the point at 8:53, and Lecavalier completed the scoring with an empty-net goal.

After trudging through a scoreless opening period, the Senators took a 2-1 lead in the second. Heatley opened the scoring on a power play with his 20th goal of the season, St. Louis tied it with his 23rd and Vermette put Ottawa in front with his 13th.

"As the game went on (the Lightning) started to dominate in the faceoff circle and the time of possession," said Senators coach Bryan Murray.

Notes: Heatley's second-period goal was the 150th of his career. ... The Senators will play their final game before Christmas on Saturday in Philadelphia. ... The Lightning will play the New York Rangers at home Saturday before they break for the holidays.