Panthers 3, Senators 2
OTTAWA -- The red-hot Florida Panthers posted their 11th consecutive victory by defeating the Ottawa Senators 3-2 Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre.
Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo turned in a superb performance, stopping 30 shots. Senators goalie Craig Anderson made 13 saves.
Winger Reilly Smith and centers Vincent Trocheck and Aleksander Barkov scored for Florida. Senators winger Max McCormick notched his first NHL goal, while winger Milan Michalek had the other.
The loss prevented the Senators from building on Tuesday's overtime victory in St. Louis.
With the Panthers leading 2-0, McCormick put the Senators on the board with a shot from the slot that went in off Luongo's right post at 5:38 of the second period.
The teams went more than 20 minutes without scoring until Barkov restored Florida's two goal lead at 7:30 of the third. The goal was set up by winger Jaromir Jagr, who centered a pass that rolled off the stick of Senators defensemen Fredrick Claesson to Barkov, who flipped a shot over Anderson.
The Senators fought back with a goal by Michalek, who deflected a shot by defensemen Erik Karlsson past Luongo at the 9:54 mark.
But that's as close as Ottawa would get.
The Panthers scored on their first two shots of the game, which they didn't get until the 12th minute of the opening period.
Moments after Luongo made a big left pad save off Senators center Kyle Turris, Smith fired a shot through defenseman Patrick Wiercioch's legs and over Anderson's catching glove for his 12th of the season.
Trocheck scored from the slot eight seconds later from the slot after Smith separated the puck from Senators defenseman Fredrik Claesson.
It was the fastest two goals allowed by Ottawa in team history.
The Panthers are off until Sunday, when they continue a six game road trip by visiting the Edmonton Oilers. The Senators host the Boston Bruins Saturday.
NOTES: Senators F Alex Chiasson was a healthy scratch for the first time his season, as coach Dave Cameron made room for the return of F Milan Michalek, who missed 16 games with a broken finger. ... Senators D Cody Ceci returned after missing six games with a rib injury. He took a lineup spot from D Chris Wideman, who had made 25 consecutive starts. ... Senators D Jared Cowen was scratched for the fourth consecutive game. ... Panthers F Shawn Thornton returned to the lineup after being a scratch in the last two games and three of the last four. He replaced C Quinton Howden, who has three goals and four assists in 34 games. ... During a 10-game winning streak, the Panthers surrendered just 12 goals, including six in the last six games.