MONTREAL (CP) - The first phase of Dany Heatley's career as an Ottawa Senator is over and so far, the big winger looks like a perfect fit.
Heatley scored two goals and set up another as the Senators posted a 3-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night in the final NHL pre-season match for both clubs.
Heatley, who was acquired before training camp from Atlanta for sniper Marian Hossa, ended the exhibition schedule with six goals and nine assists in seven games - second on the team to linemate Jason Spezza's 16 points.

He will play his first regular season game as a Senator on Wednesday night when Ottawa visits Toronto.

"We both like to move the puck and shoot and it just seems to be working," Heatley said of his partnership with the gifted Spezza. "We're finding each other really well.

"But still, it's pre-season and now the real test starts."

Coach Bryan Murray said he never doubted that Heatley would excel as a Senator, despite coming back from an eye injury last season and the horrific car crash during training camp with Atlanta in 2003 in which teammate Dan Snyder was killed and Heatley badly injured.

"We never had any question marks," said Murray. "From the first day, we said he can score from in tight or from the perimeter.

"He's a quality player. Guys get beaten up - an accident or an eye injury - but the wonderful thing about the human body is that we recover, given time. He's such a young guy, you just know he'll get better and better."

The third member of the line, rookie Brandon Bochenski, also scored for Ottawa, which broke open a 1-0 game with two quick goals in the third period.

The win avenged a 6-3 loss to the Canadiens in Ottawa on Saturday night. The Senators went 7-1 in the pre-season while Montreal was 5-3.

"Now to have played them, at least we can see where we are," Montreal centre Mike Ribeiro said of the two-game set with Ottawa. "The last game, we showed up and this time, they came out hard at us.

"But at least Wednesday we'll be playing for something."

The real test begins Wednesday, when Montreal plays at Boston.

Both teams have two players left to cut - one defenceman and one forward each - on Monday.

For Montreal, the decision may come down to either of defencemen Mark Streit and Ron Hainsey and either of tough guys Raitis Ivanans and Peter Vandermeer, although coach Claude Julien hasn't ruled out keeping two enforcers.

Earlier Sunday, the Canadiens returned 18-year-old winger and crowd favourite Guillaume Latendresse to his junior team, the Drummondville Voltigeurs.

For Ottawa, a tough decision looms between defencemen Andrej Meszanos and Christoph Schubert. Meszanos had a strong game against Montreal, but he is easier to send to the minors because he doesn't need to clear waivers, while Schubert does.

"You have to like him," Murray said of Meszanos. "He blocked a couple of shots. He was limping on one foot and slid down and blocked another shot. He's a very competitive young guy.

The only 'but' about him is that he doesn't require waivers."

Meszaros tipped a pass to Heatley at the Ottawa blue-line and the big winger charged up the ice and beat Jose Theodore with a low shot inside the near post 5:04 into the game.

The Senators dominated the opening period, outshooting Montreal 16-8, but the Canadiens also had chances. Craig Rivet had Ottawa starter Dominik Hasek beat as he skated across the crease, but his backhand shot went off the post.

Penalty killing units on both sides shone as the middle period saw a parade to the penalty box, including a call against Hasek for playing the puck outside the new restricted zone behind the goalline.

In the third, Theodore misplayed the puck in front of his net and Heatley slid it to Bochenski for a tap-in goal on a power play at 11:53.

Spezza fed Heatley for a quick shot from the right faceoff circle that beat Theodore at 14:39.

Ray Emery took over from Hasek at 10:42 of the second period and made a smart save on Ribeiro at the doorstep nine minutes into the third.

Theodore went all the way in goal for Montreal.

Ottawa outshot Montreal 32-28 and were 8-for-8 in penalty killing before an announced crowd of 18,010.

The Canadiens rested defenceman Sheldon Souray and Francis Bouillon and forwards Chris Higgins, Steve Begin and Niklas Sundstrom.

Ottawa sat out Schubert and forwards Vaclav Varada and Brian McGratton.