Panthers Knock Off Senators

      The Florida Panthers canned the Ottawa Senators 3-2 at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday night. The Panthers continued their six-game road swing as they began the second half of their regular season. Sandis Vilmanis made his NHL  debut with Florida. 

       Ottawa(20-16-5) got out to a 1-0 lead at the 4:03 mark of the opening period. Fabian Zetterlund took a wrist shot from the low right circle that went off a defender and by Sergei Bobrovsky for his 11th goal this season.

       Florida(23-16-3) evened it up 1-1 on the power play with 8:26 left in the first. Evan Rodrigues released a forehand shot from the high slot for his ninth goal of the campaign. Aaron Ekblad was credited with the only assist on the play.

       In the second period, the Panthers moved ahead 2-1 with 6:47 remaining on another power-play goal. Carter Verhaeghe scored his 13th goal in 2025-26 on a wrist shot from above the top left circle.

       It became 3-1 for the Cats at 3:48 of the third period. Gustav Forsling blasted a slap shot from the top left circle for his second goal of the year.

       The Senators pulled their goalie for an extra skater with 2:20 to go. They scored with 1:42 remaining in the third to make it 3-2 on a goal by Claude Giroux from the left wing.