Ottawa Senators dominate top ranking Florida Panthers 6-2 -NHL Update
Ottawa did not show any mercy at all against Florida on Wednesday night, February 15, 2012, as the Senators not only dominated but thrashed the Panthers, 6-2, snapping their two-game winning streak and that too on the road at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise,
Florida, United States.
Ottawa gained some ground in the Eastern Conference as they stayed in seventh place with 68 points and moved further ahead of eighth place Toronto Maple Leafs, who have 62.
Senators’ 23-year-old rookie, Jim O'Brien, kicked off the scoring with his first career goal at the 5:35 mark while Shawn Matthias answered for Florida nearly six minutes later for his 10th of the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular
season.
Ottawa took control of the match from there onwards as Kaspars Daugavins, Bobby Butler and captain, Daniel Alfredsson shot three straight in the second period up until the 14:06 mark, giving the Senators a wide 4-1 lead entering the third and final period
of regulation.
"We had a decent first period, but in the second, bang-bang. A couple goals against, and the rain kept falling from there," Panthers coach, Kevin Dineen, said. "A very disappointing game in front of our home fans."
Florida removed their veteran goalie, Jose Theodore, who failed to block two of 15 shot attempts, replacing him with Scott Clemmensen, who let the next four in as well.
"All their point shots, they're not shooting it for the net shots, they're shooting it for tips and deflections and they're trying the back door plays," Clemmensen said. "It's tough to absorb that, and trying to make a push ourselves."
Milan Michalek added another for Ottawa in the third period while Sean Bergenheim tried to gain some momentum for Florida with a power play goal at 4:25 but the Panthers failed as Filip Kuba capped off the match with the Senators sixth and last of the night.
Florida Panthers have the next at home against Washington Capitals as they play their second straight game at home out of a total four while Ottawa, which is now on a two-game winning streak, faces the New York Islanders on Monday.
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