Devils 3, Senators 2

OTTAWA - Arron Asham scored two goals and Paul Martin had two assists to help the New Jersey Devils beat the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on Saturday night.

Zach Parise scored the other goal for the Devils (33-21-5), who are just two points behind the Senators for first place in the Eastern Conference. Martin Brodeur made 37 saves to collect his 31st win of the season.

The Senators (34-20-5) fell behind 3-0 midway through the game but got a second-period goal from Jason Spezza and one from Chris Kelly with seven minutes left in the third period to create a tight finish.

Senators center Mike Fisher (12) skates up ice with the puck as New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac (19) chases him during the second period in Ottawa on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008.  (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Sean Kilpatrick)

Ray Emery made his third start in the last four games for the Senators and had 26 saves. The loss was the third straight for the Senators, who have yet to win since acquiring Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes six days ago.

The Devils led 1-0 after the opening period on a goal that was originally credited to John Madden. Replays showed that Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson directed the puck into his own net as he tried to block a centring pass from Asham.

Asham added his second goal early in the second period when he moved in over the Senators blue line and wired a slap shot past Emery.

That lead was nearly increased to 3-0 on a Devils power play, but Parise sent the puck through the crease while facing an open net. Seconds later he had another opportunity at the side of the goal and made no mistake putting the puck up high over Emery.

Late in the period the Senators got on the board thanks to a rare mistake by Brodeur. The normally sure-handed netminder lost the puck behind his net to Alfredsson, who fed Spezza in front of the empty net.

That goal gave the Senators some life, but a solid Brodeur kept the score 3-1 heading into the final period.

Notes: Devils left winger Sergei Brylin has appeared in 305 straight games, giving him the fourth longest such streak in franchise history. Ken Daneyko holds the club record by playing in 388 straight games from Nov. 4, 1989 to March 29, 1994. ... With an attendance of 20,201, the Senators recorded their 24th consecutive sellout and their 28th in 31 home dates this season.