MONTREAL -- Erik Karlsson scored twice and goalie Andrew Hammond remained unbeaten in regulation time as the Ottawa Senators downed the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 on Thursday night.

Eric Condra, Mark Stone and Marc Methot also scored for Ottawa (31-24-11), which has won nine-of-11 games to keep it's playoff homes alive. Hammond is 8-0-1 during that stretch.

Max Pacioretty scored twice for Montreal (42-19-7), which has one win in its last four games. The Canadiens have allowed the fewest goals in the NHL and conceded five for the first time since Nov. 23.

Montreal outshot Ottawa 29-28. The Senators improved to 3-1-0 against the Canadiens this season.

A double high-sticking call on Alex Chiasson for clipping Tomas Plekanec had nearly ended when Pacioretty tipped in a P.K. Subban blast from the point at 6:43 of the first period.

Pacioretty then scored shorthanded as he deked Hammond on a breakaway only 2:11 later.

Karlsson took a cross-ice feed from David Legwand on a 3-on-2 break and beat Carey Price for his 17th of the season at 2:50 of the second.

Ottawa tied it at 18:21 when Jean-Gabriel Pageau held onto the puck until Price went down and saw his pass into the crease go in off a skate. It was credited to Condra, although it may have gone in off Plekanec.

Stone deflected a low pass under Price's arm on a power play 1:23 into the third. Karlsson sealed the win when, one second after Ottawa killed a four-minute penalty, he tipped Milan Michalek's pass under the crossbar at 9:43.

Methot's changeup shot from the left circle went in over Price's shoulder at 12:36.

NOTES: P.A. Parenteau returned to Montreal's lineup after sitting out four games, bumping Brian Flynn . . . Sergei Gonchar played his 1,300th NHL game. . . Colin Greening and Eric Gryba sat out for Ottawa.