MONTREAL, March 25 (UPI) -- Patrick Lalime made 29 saves for his fifth shutout of the season Thursday night as Ottawa delayed Montreal's entry into the playoffs with a 4-0 win.
Daniel Alfredsson scored two goals and set up another.
Needing just one point to clinch a post-season berth for the second time in six years, Montreal was unable to get anything past Lalime.
The Quebec native stopped 14 shots in the first period, four in the second and 11 in the third for his 33rd career shutout.
Alfredsson supplied plenty of offense, setting up Bryan Smolinski's goal 8:22 into the game before surpassing the 30-goal mark for the second time in his career with tallies late in the first and second periods.
Jason Spezza also scored and Smolinski added two assists for Ottawa, which won for just the second time in six games.
