Sports / hockey Habs Slam Sens, Clinch First East Playoff Berth Ottawa continues its poor defensive play down the stretch By Mike Buss, Newser Staff Posted Mar 25, 2008 2:53 AM CDT Copied Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price, right, makes a glove save on Ottawa Senators' Daniel Alfredsson (11) during the first period of NHL action in Montreal, Monday, March 24, 2008. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz) Montreal scored seven times in the first two periods against a shoddy Ottawa defense and then killed a two-man disadvantage midway through the third when things got closer in a 7-5 win over Ottawa. The Canadiens clinched a playoff spot and gained some confidence against a team that had beaten them five of six times this season, writes the Gazette. Andrei Kostitsyn scored his 24th and 25th goals and five other teammates tallied as well for Montreal against a pair of Sens goalies. Martin Gerber was replaced after giving up three goals in the first and his replacement, Ray Emery, fared no better. Dany Heatley scored twice for Ottawa, which fell seven points behind top-seeded Montreal in the East. (More hockey stories.) Report an error