Special teams shine as the Panthers battled back from an early deficit, securing a vital divisional victory in Ottawa.
Battered, bruised and struggling, the Florida Panthers arrived in Canada’s capital city on Saturday badly needing a victory.
Thanks to a strong outing by Florida’s special teams units, the Panthers were able to take down the Ottawa Senators 3-2 and pick up a crucial two points.
An early power play for the home team would prove beneficial.
Fabian Zetterlund scored a sharp angle goal that Sergei Bobrovsky would want to have back just one second after the penalty to Evan Rodrigues ended, giving Ottawa a 1-0 lead at the 4:03 mark of the opening period.
Later in the period, Florida was able to take advantage after receiving a power play of their own.
With Artum Zub in the penalty box for high-sticking Anton Lundell, Evan Rodrigues corralled the puck in the slot, waited for a lane to open and wired a shot past Leevi Merilainen to knot the score at one with 8:26 left in the first.
Florida’s power play wasn’t done there.
Later in the period, with Thomas Chabot in the box for roughing Mackie Samoskevich, Gus Forsling slid a cross-zone pass to Carter Verhaeghe, and his long wrist shot went off the far post and into the net, sending the Panthers into the second intermission with a 2-1 lead.
Forsling wasn’t done with just a primary assist, though.
Under four minutes into the third period, Forsling took a pass from his defensive partner Aaron Ekblad just inside the blue line, took a few strides toward the net and blasted a slapshot over the glove of Merilainen to give Florida a 3-1 lead 3:28 into the final frame.
It proved to be an important goal, as Claude Giroux scored with 1:42 on the clock and Merilainen on the bench, but that’s as close as the Senators would get.
Florida finished the game with goals on two of their four power plays while going a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill.
On to Buffalo.
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Photo caption: Jan 10, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a save on a shot from Ottawa Senators right wing Michael Amadio (22) in the first period at the Canadian Tire Centre. (Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images)