Ottawa Senators beat Florida Panthers 5–1 behind five unanswered goals

Contrasting receptions for returning Senators

Former Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk returned to face boos during warm-ups, during play and during a tribute video at the first stoppage. The video highlighted his charity work across eight seasons with Ottawa, and he acknowledged the crowd afterward.

Florida’s Lars Eller also returned to face his former team. Ottawa acknowledged the former Senator, and he received a standing ovation, a different reception from the one that greeted Tkachuk.

The game also included fights between Ottawa’s Hayden Hodgson and Florida’s Boko Imama, and between Ridly Greig and Sam Bennett. Greig’s fight with Bennett followed his hit on Dmitry Kulikov.

Power-play goals level the first

Brady Tkachuk opened the scoring at 10:00 of the first.

With Artem Zub penalized, Tkachuk turned beside the crease and pushed the puck beneath Ullmark’s pads. Tim Stutzle answered on Ottawa’s power play at 14:13, converting Sanderson’s cross-circle pass to tie the game.

Giroux and Pinto build the lead

Claude Giroux put Ottawa ahead at 9:34 of the second, scoring with a wrist shot as Dylan Cozens screened. Shane Pinto extended the lead to 3–1 at 17:18, receiving Sanderson’s forward pass, resisting Niko Mikkola and beating Schmid.

Jake Sanderson contributed two assists on his return to Ottawa’s lineup. It was his first appearance since a lower-body injury on opening night.

Ottawa finishes in regulation

Samuel Ersson replaced injured Linus Ullmark early in the third and stopped his only shot. Warren Foegele then converted Cozens’ feed with a one-timer from the left hashmarks at 7:58.

Stephen Haliday completed the scoring at 14:57 of the third.

Ottawa finished with a regulation victory that ended Florida’s three-game winning streak.