Bobsled: Florida Panthers Back in Win Column, Beat Ottawa Senators

Both the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators were desperate for a win on Saturday night.

Although the host Senators came with a frantic pace, it was Sergei Bobrovsky and the Panthers holding on for a 3-2 win.

The Panthers had lost their first two games on his six-game road trip and four of their previous five going 1-3 to start 2026.

Ottawa has lost four straight and nine of 11.

Gus Forsling had a puck go off his stick while defending in front of Bobrovsky early in the first, but he scored a goal with an assist in the victory.

Aaron Ekblad also had a two-point night, assisting on Forsling’s third-period goal as well as the opener from Evan Rodrigues which tied the score at 1 midway through the first.

Carter Verhaeghe gave the Panthers their first and final lead on a power play chance in the second. He also assisted on a goal for a multi-point night.

Florida continues their road trip Monday night against the suddenly improved Buffalo Sabres.

NOTES: PANTHERS AT SENATORS

• Verhaeghe scored his 151st goal since joining the Panthers in 2021 and is now within a goal of tying Pavel Bure for sixth-most in franchise history.
• Florida played its second straight game without Brad Marchand; Matthew Tkachuk also did not return. Both could be options on Monday in Buffalo.
• Sandis Vilmanis made his NHL debut for the Panthers on Saturday.

GOALS OF THE GAME

• Senators 1, Panthers 0 (4:03 1st): Fabian Zetterlund sends a sharp shot from the high side of the goal line, the puck clipping the stick of Gus Forsling and past Sergei Bobrovsky just as a power play expires. It was Ottawa’s first shot of the night.
• Panthers 1, Senators 1 (11:34 1st PP): Aaron Ekblad gets the puck out to Evan Rodrigues who slides into the slot and sends a wrist shot blocker side.
• Panthers 2, Senators 1 (13:13 2nd PP): Forsling gets the puck across ice to Carter Verhaeghe who sends a wrister from the left circle bar down over the glove of Leevi Merilainen.
• Panthers 3, Senators 1 (3:48 3rd): Forsling gets his second of the second, cruising into the left circle and sending a slap shot home.
• Panthers 3, Senators 2 (18:18 3rd): Drake Batherson deflects a shot from Claude Giroux with the extra skater.

FHN’S 3 STARS

• 1. Sergei Bobrovsky, Panthers
• 2. Gus Forsling, Panthers
• 3. Carter Verhaeghe, Panthers

ON DECK: GAME No. 45

FLORIDA PANTHERS at BUFFALO SABRES 

• When: Monday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Key Bank Center, Buffalo
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WPTV 5/WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
• Streaming: Panthers+; ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Last Season: Panthers Won 3-1
• This Season (Sabres Lead 1-0) — At Buffalo: Sabres 3, Panthers 0 (Oct. 13); Monday. At Florida: Feb 2; Feb. 27.
• All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 60-47-8, 4 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Thursday at Carolina Hurricanes, 7