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Ottawa Senators goalie Robin Lehner (40) makes a save on a shot from the Nashville Predators in the first period at the Canadian Tire Centre.Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

Robin Lehner made 33 saves to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators Thursday night.

Bobby Ryan, Alex Chiasson and Jared Cowen scored for the Senators (9-5-4).

The Predators (12-5-2) got goals from Shea Weber and Olli Jokinen, while Carter Hutton— playing just his third game of the season— faced 19 shots.

Trailing 3-1, Jokinen made it a one-goal game in the opening minutes of the third as he knocked in a Derek Roy rebound. It was Jokinen's first point with the Predators.

The Senators were clearly playing to protect the one-goal lead as they were outshot 16-3 in the third. The Predators had a couple of good chances, but Lehner was solid in his first game since Nov. 9.

While the second period has often been where trouble starts for the Senators, on this night it was the opposite as Ottawa scored three straight goals to take a 3-1 lead through 40 minutes in front of 16,796 at the Canadian Tire Centre.

Trailing 1-0, the Senators tied the game on Ryan's power-play goal at the six-minute mark of the second. Erik Karlsson found Ryan all alone and he quickly beat Hutton with a wrist shot.

Ottawa took its first lead on Chiasson's fifth of the season as he tipped in Cody Ceci's point shot. Cowen, 2:06 later, scored his first of the season as he took a pass from Milan Michalek and beat Hutton glove side.

A disappointing first period left the Senators trailing 1-0 as Weber scored on the power play early. Ottawa was outshot 9-4 and didn't even register its first shot on goal until after the halfway point of the period.

The Senators are back in action Saturday as they host the St. Louis Blues, while the Predators return home to host the Florida Panthers.

Notes: Ottawa LW Clarke MacArthur played his 500th career game, while C Zack Smith played his 300th. The Senators will be without C Curtis Lazar (day-to-day) and D Marc Methot (back, indefinite). D Patrick Wiercioch and RW Erik Condra were a healthy scratch for Ottawa. The Predators LW Gabriel Bourque and D Victor Bartley were a healthy scratch for Nashville. C Mike Fisher, a former member of the Senators, remains sidelined as he recovers from a lacerated Achilles.

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