OTTAWA -- Star defenseman Erik Karlsson was responsible for two goals against Saturday night, but his teammates bailed him out.

Defensemen Dion Phaneuf scored with 3:51 left in the third and center Kyle Turris had the shootout winner as the Ottawa Senators managed to build their first three-game winning streak since November with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday at Canadian Tire Centre.

The Senators fell behind twice in the second period, the first time when a Karlsson turnover led to a goal by Red Wings center Andreas Athanasiou and the second when a pass by Red Wings center Brad Richards went in off Karlsson's stick.

"It was a tough period for No. 65 of the Ottawa Senators," said Karlsson. "But it was a great team effort and I don't think it fazed us at all. It didn't discourage our team. We deserved to win this game."

Karlsson admitted he was fooled by Athanasiou on the first goal.

"He yelled for it," said Karlsson. "I had two guys on me and I automatically assumed it was one of our guys."

The Richards' goal was a case of bad luck for Karlsson, said Phaneuf.

"It happens to every guy," said Phaneuf. "He does a great job night in and night out for our team."

Winger Zack Smith also chipped in with a goal for the Senators, his fifth in the last eight games to bring his season total to a career-equaling high 14. Senators goalie Craig Anderson made 29 saves while Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek stopped 25 shots.

While the win moved the Senators to within four points of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the race for the final wild-card spot, the Red Wings failed to move into third in the Atlantic Division by losing their third in a row and fifth straight road game.

"It's funny because we played so well on the road for a stretch of time there, but now we've seemed to kind of get away from that," said Red Wings winger Justin Abdelkader. "At the start of this game we were turning pucks over and weren't getting pucks behind. We're a team that wants to get the tempo as high as possible. We can skate. I think we can do a better job than that.

"I think it's a step in the right direction," added Abdelkader. "We've got to find a way being up 2-1 to close it out there. It's unfortunate we gave up that one toward the end there, but that's how it goes."

The equalizer was a point shot by Phaneuf that found its way in with winger Mark Stone creating havoc in front. The goal was the first as a Senator for Phaneuf, who was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs Feb. 9.

"I think you look at the play and Stoney makes it happen, that's the bottom line," said Phaneuf. "He gets traffic and creates a screen. Goalie can't see it and it finds a way through."

Phaneuf was moved by the crowd's reaction to the goal.

"To be received like that, after scoring, it's something that I will never forget as a player," he said. "I saw it, it was a special moment for me."

Turris, who hasn't scored in 23 games, is finding success in shootouts. He had one at the start of the Senators streak Tuesday against Buffalo.

"I'm just trying to go to the net, create havoc in front and just try to help the team at the end of the day," said Turris, whose team now heads to Western Canada on a three game road trip that starts Tuesday in Edmonton. "That was a huge home stand for us. To come back late tonight and get the two points was massive for us in the standings and gives us momentum going on the road."

The Red Wings are back in action immediately, as they visit the New York Rangers Sunday.

"I thought we were much better defensively tonight," said coach Jeff Blashill. "I didn't think we gave them lots until the third there when they really started to push a little bit."

Asked if he felt his team "deserved" a better fate, Blashill wouldn't go that far.

"I don't know about deserved," he said. "I thought in the end it was a fairly even game. They played hard, too. I thought we were in a position to get the second one and we didn't. That's frustrating but we can't let that get to us. We've got to make sure we keep playing the right way. We've got to do the same thing tomorrow night. You just have to have repeatable efforts night and night out."

NOTES: Red Wings C Dylan Larkin missed the game with an illness. It was just the second time he has been unable to go in a rookie season that has Larkin with 19 goals and 20 assists. LW Teemu Pulkkinen, who was a healthy scratch the previous nine games, took Larkin's roster spot. ... Senators D Mark Borowiecki returned after missing two games with a concussion. Senators D Chris Wideman was scratched to make room for Borowiecki. ... Ottawa LW Shane Prince was scratched for a third consecutive game. ... Detroit D Jakub Kindl was scratched for the fifth game in a row.