Senators 2, Hurricanes 1 (SO): Ales Hemsky scored the lone goal of the shootout in the second round as host Ottawa kept alive its slim playoff hopes.

Mika Zibanejad tallied in regulation for the Senators, who climbed within four points of Columbus for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with seven games remaining. Hemsky added an assist and Craig Anderson turned aside 30 shots as Ottawa improved to 3-0-0 on its five-game homestand.

Jeff Skinner extended his goal-scoring streak to four games for the Hurricanes, who are seven points behind the Blue Jackets with seven contests to play. Cam Ward finished with 28 saves as Carolina failed to complete a sweep of the three-game season series.

Each team failed to convert its first-round shootout attempt before Hemsky beat Ward low to the stick side to give the Senators the edge. Anderson denied Skinner and stopped rookie Elias Lindholm's shot to earn Ottawa the extra point.

It took only 1:41 for Ottawa to get on the board as defenseman Patrick Wiercioch's blast from the right point deflected off Zibanejad's skate and past Ward. Carolina pulled even less than 2 1/2 minutes later as Skinner intercepted a pass behind the net and banked the puck off Senators blue-liner Erik Karlsson's leg and in for his 30th of the season.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Skinner is one goal shy of matching his career high set as a rookie in 2010-11. ... Hurricanes C Jiri Tlusty suffered an upper-body injury after being boarded by Senators D Eric Gryba late in the second period and did not return. ... Senators captain Jason Spezza and D Jared Cowen were scratched for what coach Paul MacLean called "precautionary measures." ... Ottawa C Kyle Turris, who had his four-game point streak snapped, was named the NHL's First Star of the Week after collecting four goals and three assists in four contests.