NEW YORK – Craig Anderson stopped 41 shots to make Jason Spezza’s first-period goal stand up, and the Ottawa Senators pushed the top-seeded New York Rangers to the brink of elimination with a 2-0 victory Saturday night in Game 5.

The Senators, the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, have won two straight and will have a chance to knock out the Rangers on Monday night in Ottawa. If New York can stay alive, the deciding Game 7 would be back at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.

Spezza added insurance by scoring an empty-net goal with 55.3 seconds remaining, and Anderson was perfect in earning his second career NHL playoff shutout. He stood tall in the third period when the Rangers pressed for the tying goal. Since New York took a 2-0 lead in the first period of its 3-2 overtime loss in Game 4, Anderson has gone 116 minutes, 32 seconds without allowing a goal.

Henrik Lundqvist was nearly as good in making 28 saves for New York. The Rangers have come back to win only one series in which they trailed 3-2.

The Rangers join the West’s top seed — the Vancouver Canucks — in being one loss away from an unexpected early summer. Boston, the No. 2 seed in the East, also is down 3-2 in its series against Washington.

Ottawa would be an unlikely participant in the second round, especially if the Senators get there without captain Daniel Alfredsson, who has been sidelined since Game 2 because of a concussion following a hit by Rangers rookie Carl Hagelin. Hagelin, suspended three games by the NHL for the hit, is eligible to return Monday.

The Rangers fired 15 shots at Anderson in the third period but couldn’t get a puck past him — even during their fourth power play of the night.

PANTHERS 3, DEVILS 0: Kris Versteeg scored a goal and set up another, Jose Theodore made 30 saves for his second postseason shutout, and host Florida moved a win away from its first series win in 16 years.

Scottie Upshall also scored for Florida, which leads the Eastern Conference first-round series 3-2. The Panthers’ last series victory came in the 1996 East finals, and they’ll have two chances to snap that drought.

Tomas Kopecky was credited with an empty-net goal with 34 seconds left, after Ilya Kovalchuk impeded his clear path to the net.

Martin Brodeur made 30 saves for New Jersey, which hosts a win-or-else Game 6 on Tuesday night. If necessary, Game 7 is at Florida on Thursday night.

BLUES 3, SHARKS 1: Jamie Langenbrunner and David Perron scored in a 45-second span in the third period, and St. Louis woke up in time to put away visiting San Jose to wrap up the first-round series in five games.

Joe Thornton scored in the final minute of the second period for San Jose, and the Sharks were seemingly in control before the flurry that ended their season.

Brian Elliott made 26 saves, and Andy McDonald ended all doubt with an empty-net goal in the final minute.