Panthers Topple Senators

     The Florida Panthers dropped the Ottawa Senators 3-2 in overitme on Tuesday night at Amerant Bank Arena. It was the Panthers only home contest in a five-game stretch. The Cats regained first place in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. 

     Florida(37-15-4) rocketed out to a 1-0 advantage just 17 seconds into the game. Aaron Ekblad made a give-and-go pass with Carter Verhaeghe on the right wing. Ekblad lifted a snap shot from the inner right circle for his fourth goal of the year. Sam Reinhart collected a secondary assist on the play. 

     The Panthers increased it to 2-0 with 2:59 remaining in the second period. Brandon Montour got his fourth goal of the campaign when he released a wrist shot from the slot area. 

     In the third period, Ottawa(23-27-3) closed it to 2-1 at the 5:36 mark. Thomas Chabot snapped a shot from the inner left circle by Sergei Bobrovsky for his third tally in 2023-24.   

     The Senators were able to tie it 2-2 at 8:46 of the third. Tim Stutzle scored his 14th goal this season on a backhand shot. Former Panther Claude Giroux and Chabot picked up assists on the tally. 

     The Cats won the contest 1:35 into overtime. Tkachuk made a drop pass in the top left circle. Anton Lundell skated with the puck through the left circle and then roofed a wrist shot from below the left circle for his eighth goal of the season.