OTTAWA -- Cody Ceci knew his seventh goal of the season was a lucky one.

He also knew his team needed as much good fortune as it can get.

The Ottawa Senators defenseman notched the winner in a 4-2 decision over the Hurricanes at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday when his early-third-period slap shot hit the stick of Carolina center Eric Staal and fluttered past a line of bodies into the back of the net.

The Senators, who gave up leads of 1-0 and 2-1, held on for their second win in a row to keep their hopes alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

"It wasn't the way I drew it up, but we'll take anything right now," said Ceci, who was in the box for high-sticking Staal when the Hurricanes tied the game at 2-2 in the second. "It's just nice to get the win tonight and to get two in a row, that's huge for us."

Wingers Alex Chiasson and Zack Smith scored earlier goals for Ottawa, while winger Mark Stone added an insurance empty-netter with one second left in the game.

Centers Jordan Staal and Riley Nash replied for the Hurricanes, who had their winning streak stopped at two games and failed to pick up at least a point for the first time in six.

"They came up with the extra one at the end, and we couldn't come up with the third one," Jordan Staal said. "We came out a little flat, I think, our legs weren't going and the puck wasn't moving like we normally can.

"We started playing a little better towards the second and third. Our special teams did do a good job, but when we're playing at our best, we're controlling the game and we're moving our feet, we're moving the puck quick, and we didn't see that tonight."

Senators goalie Craig Anderson made 30 saves to gain the win on the fifth anniversary of the trade that sent him from Colorado to Ottawa. The win, his 119th in Ottawa colors against 84 losses and 29 overtime/shootout losses, interrupted a trend in recent Senators-Hurricanes games. Carolina is now 14-4-4 in its past 22 meetings with Ottawa.

"We don't put too much thought into records against certain teams," Anderson said. "I think any team on any given night can win. You've got to bring your best game every night regardless of what sweater they're wearing.

"We came out strong in the third, got momentum and hung on to it. That was the key. I thought it was a game great for us to win and keep climbing the ladder. I thought our effort tonight was pretty good. They limited our chances, but in the third we found a way to break them down and generate some offense."

Hurricanes goalie Eddie Lack stopped 18 shots, but he knows it that should have been 19. Smith's goal from the left wing faceoff circle squeezed through when he appeared to have all angles covered.

"It's a really bad goal," Lack said. "It was decisive for us, so obviously I want that back. Other than that, I felt like we battled hard and we could have got a couple more, but it wasn't our night."

The Senators (27-26-6) are six points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning, currently the owners of the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Among the three teams between Ottawa and the Lightning is the Hurricanes (26-22-10).

"It was a good test for us," said Smith. "They pressed really hard. They're probably one of the sneaky good teams in the league right now. They don't get enough credit. We did a great job of holding them off."

The Hurricanes held the Senators' power play off the board on four chances, but the momentum lost while killing penalties hurt Carolina's chances.

"I thought we made it harder than we needed to tonight with some of the penalties," Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said. "We took a penalty at the end of a period when there was no threat of anything negative happening to you at that stage, so you start short-handed (in the next period).

"We took a penalty in the third that's avoidable, too many men on the ice, and that just shortens the trap, right? You still want two more minutes to play five-on-five to see if you can get the game tied up. We made enough mistakes tonight to make it harder than it needed to be."

NOTES: Hurricanes G Cam Ward returned from a one-game absence with a lower-body injury to serve as the backup. Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said Ward could be back in the crease Friday when the Hurricanes host the San Jose Sharks ... Hurricanes C Nathan Gerbe was scratched for the third consecutive game and sixth time in the last nine ... Senators D Mark Borowiecki missed his second game with what coach Dave Cameron said Thursday morning is a concussion. Cameron called Borowiecki's status day-to-day and said the defenseman could play in Saturday's game against the Detroit Red Wings at Canadian Tire Centre ... Senators LW Shane Prince was scratched for the second game in a row.