Montreal, QC (My Sportsbook) - Dany Heatley scored twice in a span of 38 seconds in the third period to help the Ottawa Senators edge the Montreal Canadiens, 3-2, at the Bell Centre.

Chris Campoli scored the other goal while Alex Auld made 20 saves for the Senators, who have won their last two games over playoff-hopeful teams.

"It was 2-1 going into the third, we were in the game and had a chance of winning and it proved true," said Heatley. "I missed a one-timer in the first, but the other two hit the mark. We took advantage of their defense tonight with a couple of quick goals and then hung on."

Alex Kovalev and Roman Hamrlik each had a goal for the Canadiens, who had won five of six coming into the game. Jaroslav Halak made 20 saves in the loss.

Montreal sits in the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference with 92 points, three ahead of the Rangers and Panthers. Montreal plays the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

"These are points you have to have," said Montreal right wing Tom Kostopoulos. "It's tough to come out on the losing end. We still have an opportunity to bounce back with three games to go. But we're still in a good position and want to finish strong."

Trailing by a goal, the Senators took the lead thanks to Heatley's heroics.

The first goal came at the 11:23 mark of the third. Jesse Winchester worked the puck in the Montreal end and dished it to Mike Fisher, who skated to the right side of the net before sending it out front where Heatley redirected it in.

Moments later, Heatley gave the team a 3-2 lead as he rushed down the ice with the puck and from the left circle he snapped a wrister past the glove of Halak.

From there, the Senators held the lead to send Montreal to the loss.

The Habs had the best opportunity of the first period, as Chris Higgins was awarded a penalty shot in the final minute after he was tripped up by Auld on a breakaway, but Auld made a right arm save on Higgins attempt.

Ottawa took a 1-0 lead at the 10:56 mark of the second. While on the power play, Nick Foligno skated from the deep right boards to the side of the net, where he threw the puck to the left circle for Campoli, who one-timed it into the net.

However, Montreal scored less than two minutes later, as Kovalev's wrister from the right circle went into the left corner of the net.

The Habs took a 2-1 lead into the final period thanks to a goal in the final moments of the middle frame. Patrice Brisebois fired a shot on net from the right circle that Auld kicked out to the left boards. Hamrlik slapped the sliding disc into the net with just four ticks left in the frame.

Game Notes

Ottawa hosts Boston on Tuesday...The Habs won four of the six games against the Senators this season...Montreal was without defensemen Andrei Markov and Mathieu Schneider, both of whom suffered upper body injuries during Saturday's game against Toronto. Both players missed Monday's morning skate and could also be sidelined for Tuesday's game against the New York Rangers...Ottawa went 1-for-5 on the power play while Montreal failed to score on any of its three chances.