VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- Mark Messier wasted no time taking responsibility for the Vancouver Canucks' latest loss.

Back in the lineup after missing 15 games because of a sprained right knee, Messier blamed himself for the Canucks' 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

	Mark Messier was back in action for the Canucks, but Joe Juneau and the Ottawa Senators stole the show Thursday night in Ottawa.

"I felt my decision-making was off and my timing was a little off. I was a little stale," Messier said. "I had plenty of opportunities to score some goals, but. ..."

Messier, the NHL's leading active scorer with 615 goals and 1,673 points, did manage a point, assisting on Adrian Aucoin's goal that foiled Ron Tugnutt's shutout bid with 27.6 seconds left. But it was a familiar result for the Canucks, who are 0-5-1 in their last six games and 1-8-3 in their last 12.

"We've got to get the confidence back. It's up to myself and Markus (Naslund) and Alex (Mogilny) and the core guys to instill that," said Messier, who played a regular shift on the top line.

Tugnutt made 21 saves to help the Senators extend their unbeaten streak to four games at 2-0-2. Tugnutt has allowed only three goals over that stretch.

"We didn't need the shutout to win, so it wasn't that big of a deal," said Tugnutt, whose strong play followed a three-game absence because of a left knee strain.

"The knee was bothering me and I needed some rest and that's what we gave it," Tugnutt said. "Really, I just feel a lot more comfortable in net."

Joe Juneau and Shawn McEachern had first-period goals for the Senators.

Juneau opened the scoring at 7:47 when he snapped a shot from the right circle, beating goalie Garth Snow under the right arm. McEachern made it 2-0 on a power-play at 12:26, tucking the puck through Snow's legs.

Senators coach Jacques Martin said McEachern's goal was a big one, considering it was Ottawa's first power-play goal in its last 22 chances, covering a span of seven games.

"We needed that. That's a real boost for our power play," Martin said. "We've been in a drought for a long time so it was real nice to get that power-play goal."

The Senators played without several key players, including Kevin Dineen (groin) Chris Phillips (ankle), Jason York (groin) and Sami Salo (fractured left wrist).

Aucoin and Moginly also returned to the Canucks. Moginly missed eight games because of back spasms, and Aucoin sat out four games because of a groin strain.

The Canucks have failed to score more than two goals in regulation in 11 straight games.