Senators 6, Hurricanes 0

RALEIGH, N.C. - Dany Heatley had two goals and an assist, leading the Ottawa Senators to a 6-0 rout of the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night.

Ray Emery and Martin Gerber teamed to post Ottawa's second shutout of the season. Jason Spezza had a goal and two assists, Dean McAmmond added a goal and an assist, and Mike Fisher and Shean Donovan also scored.

The Eastern Conference-leading Senators (19-7-3) had a 2-0 edge before the game was 5 1/2 minutes old, scored three first-period goals and added three more in the third for their third straight victory.

Ottawa Senators' Dany Heatley (15) scores on Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward during the third period of their game Wednesday night in Raleigh, N.C. Ottawa won 6-0. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Emery stopped the only shot he faced before leaving due to soreness in his right hip, and was replaced early in the first by Gerber, a former Hurricanes goalie who turned aside all 31 shots he faced.

Cam Ward, who supplanted Gerber as the starter two years ago during Carolina's Stanley Cup run, allowed goals on two of the first four shots he faced and finished with 20 saves for the Southeast Division-leading Hurricanes (16-13-3).

Carolina outshot the Senators 32-26, yet couldn't get the NHL's fifth-best power-play unit going. The Hurricanes generated just four chances and came up empty on them to fall to 5-9 in the last 14 games. They were shut out for the third time this season.

The Hurricanes couldn't beat the Senators, so they beat one of them up. Right wing Scott Walker was called for a match penalty for head-butting and throwing a late punch during a second-period fight with Fisher.

Heatley put the Senators ahead 1-0 at 1:46 with his 15th goal and 12th of his career against the Hurricanes.

It didn't take long for Fisher to make it a two-goal game. He streaked down the left boards, eluded Bret Hedican and slipped the puck past Ward for his third goal in three games and 100th of his career at 5:24, prompting Carolina coach Peter Laviolette to burn his timeout and chew out his team.

Spezza scored on a wrister from the slot to push the lead to 3-0 in the final minute of the period.

Notes: Ottawa improved to 17-1-1 when scoring first ... Senators RW Daniel Alfredsson extended his point streak to six with an assist on Fisher's goal. He has a point in 14 of 17 games against Carolina ... The Senators next take on the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Thursday night (7:30 p.m., Rogers Sportsnet, Team 1200).