Panthers Slip By Senators

     The Florida Panthers extended their winning streak to 11 games as they defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre. The Panthers were victorious for the 17th time in the last 20 games. It was the second game of a six-game road trip for the Cats as Roberto Luongo won a career-high ninth straight game in net.
     Florida had no shots on goal in the first 12 minutes of the contest. That changed when Reilly Smith scored at the eight-minute mark on a shot from the right wing off a feed by Aaron Ekblad and was touched in mid-air by Jonathan Huberdeau.
     The Panthers got a gift and scored on a turnover eight seconds later. Fredrik Claesson made a lead pass from deep in his own zone and was intercepted by Vincent Trocheck. He blasted a slapshot from the slot area by Craig Anderson.
     In the second period, the Sens climbed back into the game on a giveaway. An Alex Petovic pass up the middle was stopped by Max McCormick in the high slot and he beat Luongo on a snap shot for his first NHL goal.
     The lead by Florida increased by two goals seven minutes into the third period. Jaromir Jagr crossed the Senators blue line on the left side and dropped a pass to Huberdeau. He returned the puck to Jagr in the left corner and he centered it toward the crease. It deflected off a stick of a defenseman and Aleksander Barkov scooped in a backhand shot.
     The Senators chopped the margin down to one goal at 10:06. Erik Carlsson gathered the puck at the top of the zone and passed ahead in the slot and it was redirected into the Panthers cage by Milan Michalek.