Senators blitz Panthers for worst home loss since 2013
SUNRISE — Josh Norris scored two goals and Anton Forsberg made 33 saves to lift the Ottawa Senators over the Florida Panthers 8- 2 on Tuesday night.
Nick Paul and Brady Tkachuk each scored a late power- play goal, and Drake Batherson had a goal and two assists. Tim Stutzle, Dylan Gambrell and Austin Watson also scored for Ottawa. Connor Brown had three assists.
Sam Reinhart and Jonathan Huberdeau scored for the Panthers, who lost at home for only the second time this season. The Senators have won five of six.
“We knew that they had a tough trip coming back from Colorado and that they might be a little slow coming out of the gate and we wanted to jump real hard on them, and we did,” Senators coach D. J. Smith said. “There’s a real good feeling in that room right now, but we’ve got to make sure to stay on the pedal.”
Florida goaltender Spencer Knight gave up a career- worst eight goals on 38 shots.
It was the Panthers’ worst home loss since falling 7- 1 to Philadelphia on Jan. 26, 2013, and their worst overall since a 6- 0 beating at Calgary on Jan. 13, 2016.
“We haven’t really had one like this,” Reinhart said. “It’s a long season and they’re gonna come. It’s a matter of responding.”
The Panthers went 0- for- 6 on the power play, including 27 seconds of a 5- on- 3 in the third.
“This one definitely hurts. Where did it get away? Obviously, the power play,” Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. “We’re going to face adversity as a team. We know that. It’s all about coming back to work tomorrow and finding a way. We know we’re a good team, and we’re going to find a way.”
With the score tied at 2, the Senators scored two goals in a span of 80 seconds late in the second period.
Norris’ shot from the slot beat Knight on the stick side at 16: 06, and then Stutzle fired the puck from the high slot into the net.
Norris’ second goal 23 seconds into the third made the score 5- 2 and Batherson made it 6- 2 with 13: 50 left.
Paul concluded the scoring with 5: 03 left.