Senators Vote Down Panthers

     The Florida Panthers were shocked by the Ottawa Senators 3-1 at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday night. It was the first road game for the Panthers in 2024-25 and the season opener for the Senators. 

     Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt made his debut with his new team. Linus Ullmark played in his first game with the Senators tonight. He was acquired by them from the Boston Bruins during the offseason. 

     Ottawa(1-0-0) scooted out to a 1-0 lead with the man advantage at the 5:52 mark of the first period. Josh Norris dropped a pass from the right wing and Tim Stutzle chalked up his first goal of the season with a wrist shot from above the right circle. 

     The Sens increased it to 2-0 with 9:18 remaining in the first. Shane Pinto carried the puck up the middle of the ice and released a wrist shot from the top right circle by Sergei Bobrovsky for an unassisted goal.

     Floirda(1-1-0) made it 2-1 with 4:12 to go in the second period. Matthew Tkachuk passed the puck from the end wall and Sam Bennett backhanded it from the left corner. Gustav Forsling blasted a slap shot from the left point past Ullmark for his first tally of the year. 

     In the third period, the Senators expanded it to 3-1 with 1:10 left. Brady Tkachuk lifted a clearing pass out of his own zone. Stutzle tapped in a shot from the left of the crease into an empty net for his second goal of the contest.