Brad Marchand went a little too far in trying to get an opponent hot under the collar. The well-know Bruins agitator put his hand around the neck of Senators forward Nick Cousins in the first period of Boston’s 2-0 win Thursday night.

First Period_1, Ottawa, Gaudette 15 (Jensen, Giroux), 1:47. 2, Ottawa, Stutzle 15, 7:35. 3, Boston, Zacha 11 (Lohrei, Pastrnak), 11:07 (pp). 4, Boston, Pastrnak 21 ...

Power-play opportunities_Ottawa 0 of 4; Boston 0 of 2. Goalies_Ottawa, Forsberg 5-9-1 (25 shots-24 saves). Boston, Korpisalo 9-4-2 (30-30).

The two teams met over the weekend when the Bruins lost the lead in the final minutes of regulation and then the game in a shootout.

The Bruins, back in the playoff hunt after a 5-1-1 stretch, take on a Sabres team at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.