Panthers pounce on Senators’ miscues for 3-2 win

By Canadian Press on January 10, 2026.

OTTAWA — Gustav Forsling and Carter Verhaeghe each had a goal and an assist to lead the Florida Panthers to a 3-2 win over the struggling Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.

Evan Rodrigues also scored for the visitors, while Sergei Bobrovsky made 18 saves.

Fabian Zetterlund and Claude Giroux scored for Ottawa (20-19-5). Leevi Merilainen, who stopped 18 shots, allowed three goals for the fourth straight game. The Senators have now lost four straight.

The Panthers (23-18-3) took a 3-1 lead early in the third when Forsling stepped into the faceoff circle and wired a shot high glove side.

Giroux gave the Senators life soaring in from a sharp angle with 1:42 remaining, but were unable to complete the comeback.

Tied 1-1 both teams had a number of chances in the second period, but the Panthers eventually got the go-ahead goal.

Midway through the period the Panthers power play capitalized with Verhaeghe using Nick Jensen, who had fallen, as a screen to beat Merilainen glove side.

Verhaeghe then earned the ire of fans for pushing Artem Zub from behind into the boards. The initial call on the play was a five-minute major but upon review reduced to a minor for boarding.

Early in the period Sam Reinhart hit a post and had a shot blocked while the Panthers were short-handed. Drake Batherson then had a wide-open net only to see his shot hit the post.

Ottawa opened the scoring four minutes into the game when Zetterlund took the puck behind the net, curled and put a shot on Bobrovsky from a sharp angle. The puck bounced off his blocker and rolled down his back across the goal line.

The Panthers answered with a power-play goal midway through the period. Rodrigues took advantage of a poor defensive play by Tim Stutzle and beat Merilainen far side.

Sandis Vilmanis made his NHL debut Saturday with the Panthers.

TAKEAWAYS

Senators: Special teams struggled for Ottawa going 0-for-5 on the power play and giving up two goals on the penalty kill.

Panthers: The Panthers didn’t play their best game but pounced on their opportunities.

KEY MOMENT

The Senators got some life with 1:42 remaining when Claude Giroux scored his 10th goal of the season from a sharp angle.

UP NEXT

Panthers: Visit the Buffalo Sabres on Monday.

Senators: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 10, 2026.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press