Surging Senators defeat Stars to close in on top spot in Atlantic

Guy Boucher's decision to use rookie Fredrik Claesson as a seventh Ottawa defenceman paid off.

Claesson scored his first NHL goal and added an assist to help the Senators win their fourth straight game, 5-2 over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night..

"When you end up deciding that you're going seven and 11 [forwards] and your seven gets a goal and an assist, I think it's one of those days that you go to bed thinking you're smart," Boucher said. "He's a good player, we know that. Knock on wood, we haven't had many injuries on D and so he's had to wait his turn more often than he deserved."

Claesson scored with a slap shot from the top of the slot to give Ottawa a 2-0 lead at 15:21 of the first period. He was playing in his 36th game.

"It feels really good. I kind of waited for this moment for a long time. It was a faceoff. I just hammered an old knuckle puck there. I wasn't sure at all that it went in."

Craig Anderson made 35 saves and tied Patrick Lalime for the Ottawa franchise record with 146 victories.

"It's a credit to the guys in front for all these years of hard work and dedication," Anderson said, "and just a byproduct of guys playing hard in front of me."

Ottawa moved within four points of first-place Montreal in the Atlantic Division. The Senators' winning streak began after they acquired Viktor Stalberg and Alexandre Burrows near the trade deadline.

Big night for Stalberg

Stalberg also had a big night, with a goal and assist on the power play. Ottawa was 2-for-3 with the man advantage after going 2-for -6 in its previous six games.

Adding Stalberg to the power play was another decision that worked out for Boucher.

"It's all about deserving, and when a guy like that deserves it every night in the fourth game with us, it doesn't matter if he's new, he deserved it, so he got the ice time and he definitely helped us win this game again."

Cody Ceci also had a goal and an assist for the Senators, and Mike Hoffman had two assists.

Chris Wideman and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored against Dallas starting goalie Kari Lehtonen, who left at 3:21 of the second period after allowing three goals in 18 shots.

Antti Niemi replaced Lehtonen. Ottawa didn't have a shot on goal against Niemi for 14:48, until Stalberg scored on the power play for a 4-1 lead.

Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza scored for Dallas. Niemi stopped only three of five shots.