Senators look to solve red-hot Lundqvist

Coming off his league-leading 10th shutout, Henrik Lundqvist could help the New York Rangers continue their season-best winning streak when it hosts the Eastern Conference-worst Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

The Senators (27-37-9) come into New York having won nine of 15 while limiting opponents to two power-play goals in 52 opportunities.

Viewers can watch the game live tonight on Sportsnet Sens at 7 p.m. ET.

Ottawa jumped out to a 2-0 lead Tuesday night, killed all three of its penalties, and outshot Carolina 39-24 but ultimately fell 4-3.

“Our guys played hard, they played well,” coach Cory Clouston said. “I’m not upset with the performance, with the effort (or) with the intelligence of our play.”

Since winning six of seven on the road, the Senators have allowed 10 goals en route to dropping back-to-back games as the visiting team.

Curtis McElhinney made 20 saves against the Hurricanes in dropping to 3-1-0 with a 1.98 GAA in four starts since being acquired from Anaheim prior to the trade deadline.

Fantasy notes: Since coming back from injury February 5th, Jason Spezza has 24 points in 21 GP. Ryan Callahan has racked up 7-8-15 in 10 GP this month alone. | Follow Chris Nichols on Twitter

Left wing Milan Michalek, tied for the team lead with 16 goals, has missed 11 straight games with a broken foot but could return Thursday.

Center Jason Spezza notched two assists Tuesday to give him four goals and six assists in his last six games.

The seventh-place Rangers (40-30-4), who missed out on the playoffs after falling to Philadelphia 2-1 in a shootout on the last day of the 2009-10 season, remained three points ahead of eighth-place Buffalo in the East with a 1-0 victory over Florida on Tuesday.

New York has won a season-best five in a row and seven of eight thanks in large part to Lundqvist, who has started each of those games and posted a 1.98 goals-against average.

“I keep reminding myself every day that last year was one point,” said Lundqvist, who made 22 saves against the Panthers. “I don’t want to be there and I don’t think anyone else wants to be there. This is a game that could be the difference.”

Since losing a season-worst four straight at home, Lundqvist has won a season-high four in a row at Madison Square Garden while recording two shutouts and a 1.50 GAA. He is 7-3-0 with a 1.39 GAA in his last 10 starts versus the Senators.

“You know, I think he’s certainly under appreciated and I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves,” center Brandon Dubinsky told the Rangers’ official website.

“To have 10 shutouts in a season is a great feat, let alone with a 10th of the season left. He’s had to be unreal to keep us where we’re at. In my eyes, and I’ve shot on all the goalies, he’s the best in the league.”

Dubinsky, who leads the team with 29 assists and 51 points, has two goals and four assists over a four-game point streak. He scored the lone goal Tuesday.

Right wing Ryan Callahan assisted on that goal, and has seven goals and seven assists in his last eight games.

The Rangers have taken two straight and five of seven from Ottawa. New York, though, has been outscored 30-17 and lost eight of 10 in the series at home with Lundqvist in net.