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Fabian Zetterlund netted two goals, sparking playoff aspirations among Ottawa Senators supporters following their 5-1 triumph against the Florida Panthers on Thursday evening.
This success maintains the Senators’ position in the Eastern Conference’s second and last wild-card berth, trailing the Boston Bruins, who occupy the first, by two points.
Achieving their third consecutive win, the Senators concluded their five-game home series with a 4-1-0 record, having suffered their only defeat to Minnesota.
Ottawa bolstered its defensive corps as Thomas Chabot rejoined the team’s roster precisely two weeks post-surgery for a fractured arm.
Chabot’s initial recovery prognosis predicted an absence of four to eight weeks.
Ottawa established a 3-0 advantage just 3:03 into the third period. Artem Zub capitalized on a Jake Sanderson rebound, firing a shot to the far side for his fifth goal of the season, eluding Sergei Bobrovsky, who had made 25 saves.
The Panthers eventually broke through against Linus Ullmark, who recorded 21 stops, at 14:17 into the final period.
A.J. Greer located Jesper Boqvist positioned at the top of the slot, who then threaded a shot beneath Ullmark’s right arm.
Claude Giroux scored an empty-net goal with 3:17 left, extinguishing any possibility of a comeback. Just nineteen seconds afterward, Zetterlund tallied his second goal of the match.
During the second period, both squads created several promising scoring opportunities, yet Ullmark and Bobrovsky each demonstrated strong goaltending.
Bobrovsky executed a critical glove save during a Tim Stützle breakaway early in the frame, concurrently, Ullmark left Gustav Forsling visibly frustrated after thwarting his effort late in the period.
Positioning himself in front of the net, Drake Batherson deflected a Sanderson shot during a power play, marking his 32nd goal of the season and initiating the scoring 6:49 into the opening period.
With three minutes remaining in the frame, Zetterlund received a pass from Lars Eller and sent a wrist shot over Bobrovsky’s shoulder.
Facing a weakened defensive lineup, Florida summoned defensemen Marek Alscher and Ludvig Jansson from their American Hockey League affiliate. Both players debuted in the NHL on Thursday.
Potential Weekend Playoff Sealing
Ottawa’s final three matches are scheduled against the New York Islanders on Saturday afternoon, the New Jersey Devils on Sunday evening, and at home facing Toronto on Wednesday night.
The Senators could secure a playoff berth on Saturday if they win and Detroit loses. Additionally, they would advance to the playoffs by winning both weekend contests.
Their potential first-round adversaries include Buffalo, Carolina, Montreal, or Tampa Bay.
