Panthers 4, Senators 2
Jaromir Jagr recorded a pair of goals while Dave Bolland scored one and set up another as visiting Florida handed Ottawa its third consecutive loss.
Jagr’s second multi-goal performance of the season gave him 720 tallies in his career and Jussi Jokinen also scored for the Panthers, who improved to 4-1-1 in their last six contests. Jonathan Huberdeau added a pair of assists and Dan Ellis turned aside 25 shots for Florida, which remained four points behind Boston for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.
Captain Erik Karlsson tallied to reach the 20-goal plateau for the second straight season and Jean-Gabriel Pageau also scored for the Senators, who fell to 0-2-1 in their last three contests. Craig Anderson made 33 saves for Ottawa, which fell three points behind the Bruins for the final playoff spot in the East.
Jagr took a pass from Huberdeau and stopped in the right faceoff circle before cutting toward the slot and whipping a shot past Anderson during a power play at 7:46 of the second period for a 1-0 lead. Florida doubled the lead with 4:11 left in the middle session as Jokinen one-timed a shot from the slot over Anderson’s left shoulder after receiving a centering pass from Bolland while on the man advantage.
Karlsson scored on a screen shot during a power play 4:43 into the third period to halve the deficit, but Jagr answered on a wraparound with 6:03 left to make it 3-1. Pageau swept home Mike Hoffman's pass with 2:21 to play before Bolland’s short-handed empty-netter with 56 seconds remaining sealed it.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Huberdeau has registered two goals and four assists during his four-game point streak. … Ottawa G Andrew Hammond, who missed Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury, served as Anderson's backup. ... The Panthers dressed seven defensemen as D Steven Kampfer replaced RW Brad Boyes in the lineup and took some shifts on the wing.