Ottawa Senators centre Tommy Wingels and Columbus Blue Jackets centre William Karlsson chase the puck during third period NHL hockey action in Ottawa on Saturday, March 4, 2017.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
Zack Smith scored the winner as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 on Saturday night.
Viktor Stalberg scored his first goal since joining the Senators (35-22-6) ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Erik Karlsson scored his 11th of the season as Craig Anderson made 25 saves.
Stalberg was traded to Ottawa by the Carolina Hurricanes on for a 2017 third-round draft choice on Tuesday.
Brandon Saad and Sam Gagner scored for the Blue Jackets (40-17-6). Joonas Korpisalo, playing just his eighth game, made 24 saves. This was the first regulation loss for Columbus in five games (3-1-1).
Trailing 2-1 late in the third Columbus had a power play and pulled Korpisalo to try and score the equalizer, but the Senators were able to take advantage as Smith scored his league-leading fourth shorthanded goal into the empty net to make it 3-1.
Gagner scored a power-play goal with just over two minutes remaining in regulation to cut Ottawa's lead to 3-2.
A hard fought second period saw the Senators come out with a 2-1 lead as Mark Stone made an outstanding no-look pass to Karlsson who snapped a shot past Korpisalo.
Anderson had a little luck on his side as both Zach Werenski and Oliver Bjorstrand rang shots off the post.
Trailing 1-0, Ottawa tied the game midway through the first as Stalberg jumped on a loose puck in the crease.
Columbus opened the scoring just two minutes into the game as Werenski made a great pass to Saad who wired a shot off the post to beat Anderson.
This was the third and final meeting of the regular season between the two teams with the Senators winning the series 2-0-1.
Columbus is back in action Sunday as they take on the New Jersey Devils, while the Senators host the Boston Bruins Monday.