Senators 7, Lightning 2

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -The Ottawa Senators are making a strong statement with the postseason looming.

Dany Heatley had two goals and an assist to lead the Senators past the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-2 on Saturday night.

Heatley has 45 goals this season. Joseph Corvo, Daniel Alfredsson, Christoph Schubert, Patrick Eaves and Dean McAmmond also scored for Ottawa, which has earned at least a point in 20 of 21 games (15-1-5) since Feb. 8.

"It's a real compliment to the guys, no question," Ottawa coach Bryan Murray said. "The work ethic, as you saw tonight, has really been good. It's amazing. That doesn't happen a lot where you get points in every game pretty much."

Dan Boyle had two goals for the Lightning, and Vincent Lecavalier added two assists to become the first Tampa Bay player to reach 100 points in a season.

Tampa Bay remains two points behind Southeast Division-leading Atlanta, which earlier lost 2-1 to Pittsburgh.

"This game is done," Lightning coach John Tortorella said. "We're already by it. There's no sense in looking back."

Corvo put the Senators ahead 1-0 from the blue line at 2:38 of the first. The shot appeared to deflect off Tampa Bay center Eric Perrin's stick.

Boyle tied it at 1 with a power-play goal from the left circle with 5:03 left in the period.

Ottawa regained the lead just 53 seconds later when Alfredsson made a waist-high deflection of Heatley's pass in the low slot.

"Our game plan was just chip it in and get on their D," Heatley said. "I thought we did a good job of that."

Boyle got the Lightning even again 3 minutes into the second. But Ottawa scored twice in a five-minute span after Tampa Bay goalie Marc Denis stopped Jason Spezza during a two-man breakaway midway through the second.

Heatley redirected Corvo's shot during a power play at 12:41 before the Senators took a 4-2 lead on Schubert's goal 1:26 later.

Ottawa's Ray Emery made a strong save on Tim Taylor's right-circle shot shortly after Heatley's goal.

"I think we're playing good hockey and really good defensive hockey," Emery said. "So even if the other team gets a couple of goals on us, it's still pretty close at the end of the game and we have a chance to get some points out of it."

Eaves, McAmmond and Heatley all scored in the third period.

"A loss is a loss," Tampa Bay center Brad Richards said.

Notes: Lightning G Johan Holmqvist (flu) was scratched. Corvo and Schubert also had two assists. ... Schubert was a plus-4.