SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) – Brandon Bochenski had his first career three-goal game and the NHL-leading Ottawa Senators won for the eighth time in nine games, beating the Florida Panthers 6-3 on Monday night.

Dominik Hasek made 26 saves to help the Senators improve to 21-4 overall and 17-0 when leading after two periods. Ottawa leads the NHL in both goals and fewest goals allowed, scoring 115 and allowing only 52.

Bochenski’s three goals gave the rookie five overall in 13 games. It was his third game since being recalled Nov. 30 from Binghamton of the AHL.

Florida’s Roberto Luongo stopped 27 of 33 shots before being replaced by Jamie McLennan following Bochenski’s third goal at 5:44 of the third.

Chris Neil, Vaclav Varada and Daniel Alfredsson also scored for Ottawa, which scored five straight goals after falling behind 2-1 in the first period.

Niklas Hagman, Mike Van Ryn and Joe Nieuwendyk scored for the Panthers, who were trying to win three straight games for the first time this season.

Bochenski scored his first goal of the game on a breakaway at 7:51 of the second to give Ottawa a 3-2 lead.

After intercepting Eric Cairns’ pass in the Ottawa zone, Bochenski skated in on Luongo before sending a wrist shot to the goalie’s high glove side just as Florida’s Alexei Semenov caught up to him.

The Senators made it 4-2 when Alfredsson scored his 21st goal at 10:49 of the second. His shot from just inside the blue line got past Luongo, who appeared to have been screened.

Bochenski scored a power-play goal at 1:59 of the third. Ottawa was 2-for-5 on the power play.

Notes: Senators D Zdeno Chara served a one-game suspension for instigating during Friday night’s 5-1 win against Los Angeles. … Florida’s Hagman (26) and Olli Jokinen (27) and Ottawa coach Bryan Murray (63) celebrated birthdays. … The game was rescheduled from Oct. 22 due to the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma.

AP-ES-12-05-05 2133EST