Panthers Routed By Senators, 6-2
SUNRISE (AP) — Craig Anderson made 42 saves, six Ottawa players scored, and the Senators routed the Panthers 6-2 on Wednesday night for their ninth straight win against Florida.
Jim O'Brien notched his first career goal, Milan Michalek moved into a tie for the team lead with his 25th of the season, and Kaspars Daugavins, Bobby Butler, Daniel Alfredsson, and Filip Kuba also scored for the Senators.
Ottawa has beaten the Panthers five straight times in Florida and 17 of 20 on the road.
Shawn Matthias and Sean Bergenheim scored for the Panthers. Scott Clemmensen allowed four goals on 16 shots before being replaced by Jose Theodore with 5:54 left in the second. Theodore, who hadn't played since Jan. 20, stopped 13 of 15 shots.
Ottawa took a 2-1 lead in the second. Brian Lee sent a pass from above the right circle to Daugavins, who tipped the puck in from in front at 5:18.
Ottawa stretched its lead to 3-1 a couple minutes later. Michalek passed from the top of the left circle to Butler, who deflected the puck past Clemmensen's glove side at 7:24.
Alfredsson's short-handed goal at 14:06 of the second made it 4-1. The Panthers turned the puck over in the neutral zone, and Alfredsson skated in on Clemmensen and backhanded the puck over his pad. Clemmensen was then replaced by Theodore.
The Senators kept pouring it on, and Michalek pushed the lead to four goals. Bergenheim's power-play goal later in the third closed the gap to 5-2.
Kuba added a power-play goal for Ottawa late in the period.
Ottawa went ahead 1-0 on O'Brien's goal. O'Brien, recalled by Ottawa Feb.3, took control of the puck behind the net and poked it in on a wraparound at 5:35 on the first.
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