OTTAWA (AP) – Zdeno Chara scored twice in his return to Ottawa’s lineup, including the winner 40 seconds into overtime, and the Senators regained the Eastern Conference lead with a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.

Chara swept behind the Bruins’ net and put a backhand shot over goalie Tim Thomas for his 16th of the season as Ottawa ended its season-high, four-game losing streak.

Chara, who missed 11 games with a bruised hand, and Antoine Vermette scored in the first for the Senators.

Ottawa regained the Eastern Conference lead with 110 points, one ahead of Carolina, which lost 4-3 in overtime in New Jersey.

Boston defenseman Brad Stuart scored with 18 seconds left in the third to tie it at 3 after Chris Kelly scored 6:23 into the third to put the Senators up 3-2.

Michael Morrison stopped 19 shots to win his first Ottawa start.

Wade Redden also returned to the Senators’ lineup after missing seven games to be home with his ill mother in Saskatchewan.

Boston, outshot 44-21 overall, scored twice in the second to draw even at 2. Travis Green scored a short-handed goal midway through the period and Patrice Bergeron scored his 29th goal at 19:02 to tie it at 2.

Morrison made his first start since he was picked up on waivers from Edmonton on March 9.

He appeared in two games with Ottawa, allowing two goals on 31 shots in Philadelphia on March 25, and two goals on nine shots against Buffalo on April 8.

Both appearances were in relief of Ray Emery, who ended a streak of 22 consecutive starts since the Olympic break.

Morrison caught a break after Vermette opened the scoring 6:51 in when Marco Sturm hit the crossbar on a penalty shot at 11:12.

Chara added his 15th goal on a power play at 15:05 to make it 2-0.

Green drew the Bruins to 2-1 with an unassisted effort 10:08 into the second and Bergeron tied it with 58 seconds remaining when he backhanded his own rebound past Morrison.

Notes: Senators C Patrick Eaves missed the game because of a lower body injury he sustained the night before. … Emery went 13-6-3 over the course of the streak, winning the NHL’s defensive player of the month award for March.

AP-ES-04-11-06 2216EDT