NHL: Ottawa 7, Tampa Bay 1

OTTAWA, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Milan Michalek scored the first hat trick of his career Thursday in carrying Ottawa to a 7-1 blasting of Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay had won its previous two games, but gave up the first five goals against Ottawa and tested Senators goaltender Pascal Leclaire with a mere 17 shots.

Michalek scored in each period, two of the goals coming shorthanded and the other on the power play. This is his first season with Ottawa after spending the first five years of his career with San Jose.

Jarkko Ruutu, Alex Kovalev, Alexandre Picard and Nick Foligno also scored for Ottawa, which finished off a four-game homestand with a 3-1 record.

The lone Tampa Bay goal came from Ryan Malone with 5:34 left in the second period. Mike Smith gave up all seven goals on 35 shots.

Tampa Bay has lost in nine of its last 11 trips to Ottawa.