OTTAWA SENATORS NOTES:
LAST GAME: Oct. 27, 4-2 loss vs. Minnesota: The Wild got multi-point games from Gaudreau and Kaprizov to send Ottawa to their first home defeat of the season, 4-2 at Canadian Tire Centre. Following markers from DeBrincat and Zuccarello, Kaprizov found the back of the net with what was his 50th career power-play point, establishing a new Wild franchise record for fewest games to reach the mark (143). Hartman would provide the visitors a two-goal lead before Chabot registered a power-play goal, marking the first time he has recorded goals on the man advantage in consecutive games, while a helper from DeBrincat saw him extend his assist streak to six games, becoming the fifth Senator to record a streak of at least that many games in his first year with the club. Gaudreau would score into the empty net to provide the night’s final score. Fleury made 39 saves in earning the win for Minnesota while Forsberg turned aside 27 shots in taking the loss for Ottawa. Scratches: Gambrell, Holden; Injuries: Norris, Talbot; Shots: OTT – 29, MIN – 40; PP: OTT – 1-5, MIN – 1-4.
BROADCAST INFORMATION: This evening’s game against Florida will be broadcast regionally on TSN5 and TVAS2. On the radio, the game will be available locally via TSN 1200 (English) and 94,5 Unique-FM (French).
WHAT’S NEXT: Ottawa concludes a two-game road trip at Tampa Bay on Monday at 7 p.m. The contest will mark the first of three
regular-season meetings and the lone matchup at AMALIE Arena.
INJURY REPORT: C Norris and G Talbot are on IR and will not oppose the Panthers this evening. Total man-games lost: 10.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS: Recalled D Heatherington from Belleville on Oct. 28.
OTTAWA vs. FLORIDA – History:
2022-23 (0-0-0): Oct. 29 @ Florida, March 27 @ Ottawa, April 6 @ Florida
2021-22 (1-2-1): 12/14/21 @ Florida (8-2 win), 3/3/22 @ Florida (3-0 loss), 3/26/22 @ Ottawa (4-3 SO loss), 4/28/22 @ Ottawa (4-0 loss)
Series record: Overall: 56-42-3-5; Home: 26-21-2-3; Away: 30-21-1-2
Last Ottawa win: @ Ottawa: 3/29/18 (3-2 OT); @ Florida: 12/14/21 (8-2)
Last Florida win: @ Ottawa: 4/28/22 (4-0); @ Florida: 3/3/22 (3-0)
Last OT result: 3/29/18 (3-2 OT win) @ Ottawa
Last shootout: 3/26/22 (4-3 SO loss) @ Ottawa
Most goals, game: Scored: 8, (12/14/22, 8-2 win); Allowed: 7, (2x, Last: 11/19/18, 7-5 loss); Both teams: 12, (11/19/18, 7-5 loss) Last Game: 4/28/22, 4-0 loss @ Ottawa; OTT Goals: None; FLA Goals: Verhaeghe (x2), Reinhart, Bennett; OTT Scratches: Del Zotto, Mete; OTT Injuries: Brown, Ennis, Joseph, Murray, Pinto, Sanderson, White*; OTT Goalie: Gustavsson; FLA Goalie: Knight; OTT PP: 0-3; FLA PP: 0-3; Shots: 27-30.
Career vs. Florida: Giroux leads all players in career games played (43), in goals (11), in assists (17) and in points (28); Hamonic leads in penalty minutes (44) against Florida.
SWEATER WEATHER: The Senators enter their third season of wearing a primary logo which sees the organization return to its roots with the implementation of the modified original “2D” logo. The team has earned a 59-70-11 all-time record (4-3-0 this season) while wearing its current sweater. Ottawa unveiled their Reverse Retro jersey on Oct. 20 and will wear the sweater on five occasions in 2022-23 (0-0-0 this season). The Senators hold an all-time record of 112-75-7-25 when wearing an alternate; 27-19-2-5 when wearing a red alternate, 84-55-5-19 when wearing a black alternate and 1-1-0-1 when wearing a cream alternate.
HOME ON THE RANGE: Ottawa has a record of 4-1-0 at home this season … Shane Pinto and Brady Tkachuk are the Senators leaders with four goals at home while Drake Batherson maintains the club lead with six assists at Canadian Tire Centre … Through five home games, Batherson and Tkachuk lead the team with nine points on home ice … The Senators earned a record of 15-22-4 at home through 41 home contests in 2021-22.
ROAD SCHOLARS: The Senators have a record of 0-2-0 on the road this season … Claude Giroux, Pinto and Tkachuk lead with one goal on the road this season while six players rank first with one assist while the Senators serve as visitors … Through two road games this season, Giroux maintains the club lead with two points … The Senators registered an 18-20-3 record over 41 road contests in 2021-22.
FRANCHISE RECORD: Ottawa has posted an all-time record of 1,008-985-115-176 over 2,284 games … The Senators are 552-436-60-97 through 1,145 all-time home games and 456-549-55-79 through 1,139 all-time road games.
BACK-TO-BACK GAMES: Ottawa will play back-to-back games on 12 occasions in 2022-23 and will do so for the first time on Dec. 2 when the team visits the N.Y. Rangers ahead of welcoming San Jose to Canadian Tire Centre the following evening … The Senators played 17 back-to-back sets last season and earned a record of 6-9-2 in the first half of contests on consecutive nights (0-0-0 this season) while posting an 8-8-1 record (0-0-0 this season) in the second half of games on consecutive days.
ON THE POWER PLAY: The Senators are six for 25 (24.0%) on the power-play in 2022-23 … Batherson and Thomas Chabot lead with two power-play goals while Batherson and Tkachuk maintain the club lead with four points while the team enjoys a man advantage … Ottawa has recorded multiple power-play goals once in an individual contest in 2022-23 after having done so 11 times in 2021-22.
ON THE PENALTY KILL: Ottawa has overcome 19 of the 25 occasions the team has been shorthanded in 2022-23 to maintain an efficiency of 76.0% through seven regular-season games … The team has yet to register a shorthanded marker this season after recording nine such goals in 2021-22.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
COACH SMITH: D.J. Smith was introduced as the Senators’ 14th head coach in franchise history on 5/23/19. A native of Windsor, Ont., Smith spent the four previous NHL seasons as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Prior to joining the Maple Leafs (which was also the team for which he made his NHL playing debut in 1996-97), Smith guided the Ontario Hockey League’s Oshawa Generals to a record of 135-53-3-13 over three campaigns which included his having been recognized as the OHL’s Coach of the Year in 2013- 14. One year later, he helped the team capture the Mastercard Memorial Cup. His 85 head coaching victories with Ottawa see him rank sixth in franchise history.
SECOND SEASON AS CAPTAIN FOR CHUCKY: Two-time NHL All-Star Brady Tkachuk was appointed the 10th captain in Senators franchise history on 11/5/21. A native of St. Louis, Tkachuk succeeded Erik Karlsson who served in the role for four seasons from 2014-15 to 2017-18. The bronze medal winner with Team U.S.A. at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship is the first American-born skater to serve as team captain. Tkachuk is assisted by full-time alternates Thomas Chabot and Claude Giroux.
DEBRINCAT LENDS A HELPING HAND: With an assist in a sixth consecutive game on Thursday evening, Alex DeBrincat became the fifth player in team history to record an assist streak of at least six games in his first year with the team. With at least one helper this afternoon at Florida, he can move into second on the team’s all-time list of assist streaks in a skaters’ inaugural year eclipsing Dany Heatley (six games, 2006-06), Chris Tierney (six games, 2018-19) and Bobby Ryan (six games, 2013-14) and moving to within one game of joining Filip Kuba (eight games, 2008-09) at the top of the list. The last Senator to have a longer streak than DeBrincat’s current six-game run was Mark Stone who supplied at least one helper in 10 consecutive games from 2/17/18 to 3/8/18.
FLORIDA PANTHERS NOTES:
BAPTIST HEALTH INJURY REPORT
- F Anthony Duclair | Games Missed: 8
- D Aaron Ekblad | Games Missed: 5
Total Man Games Lost Due to Injury: 18
LAST GAME
Panthers 3, Flyers 4 – Oct. 27 – Wells Fargo Center
FLA Goals: Forsling (2), Mahura (2),
PHI Goals: DeAngelo (2), Laughton (3-PPG), MacEwen (2), Farabee (2)
FLA Goalie: Bobrovsky (L) – 18 Saves
PHI Goalie: Hart (W) – 48 Saves
FLA Shots: 51
PHI Shots: 22
Notes: Eric Staal made his Panthers debut, winning 9 of his 13 faceoffs…The Panthers logged a season-high 51 shots on goal…Colin White notched an assist, extending his assist streak to three games (0-3-3)…Carter Verhaeghe produced an assist for the second straight game (0-2-2)…Brandon Montour scored a goal, extending his point streak to two games (1-1-2)…Matthew Tkachuk produced an assist, extending his point streak to two games (1-1-2)…FLA allowed a season-low 22 shots on goal against for the second straight game…FLA PP: 1-4, FLA PK: 1-2
RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
- Oct. 21: F Eric Staal signed to a one-year contract
PANTHERS vs. SENATORS
ALL-TIME vs. OTT: 47-51-3-5
ALL-TIME HOME vs. OTT: 23-29-1-1
2021-22 vs. OTT: 3-1-0
CATS STATS
- Colin White and Matthew Tkachuk have produced a point in each of their first five road games with Florida – one game shy of the longest such streak from a player’s first game of the season in franchise history (Johan Garpenlov, Oct. 5-27, 1996)
- Sergei Bobrovsky owns a 12-5-1 record over 18 career appearances against Ottawa
- Sam Reinhart has amassed 22 points (9-13-22) over 24 games against Ottawa in his career
- Aleksander Barkov has produced 19 points (9-10-19) over 27 career games against the Senators.
FAMILY AFFAIR
Eric and Marc Staal became the fourth pair of brothers to skate for the Panthers Oct. 27 at PHI, and the third to skate in the same game with one another. Jeff and Brad Norton (2001-02) and Pavel and Valeri Bure (2001-02) skated together as Panthers, while Matt and Mark Cullen each played for the club but at separate times.
CATS AND SENS
The Panthers face off against the Senators tonight for the first of three matchups this season. Florida has earned a win each of their past matchups against Ottawa, and in six of their past seven (6-1-0) since March 28, 2019. Sam Reinhart (2-3-5) led the Panthers with five points (2-3-5) over four games against the Senators last season, while Sergei Bobrovsky registered a 2-0-0 record, 9.25 save percentage and 1.45 goals against average over two games against the Senators in 2021-22. Spencer Knight registered a 27-save shutout in their most recent matchup on April 28, 2022 to clinch Florida’s first-ever Presidents’ Trophy. Sam Bennett (1-1-2), Carter Verhaeghe (2-0-2), Eetu Luostarinen (0-2-2) and Reinhart (1-1-2) each had multiple points in the game.
HOME SWEET HOME
Florida returns to FLA Live Arena tonight where the Panthers have earned at least one point in 14 of their past 15 regular season matchups (13-1-1) dating back to March 3, 2022 vs. Ottawa. This season, the Cats own a 2-0-1 record at home, with Matthew Tkachuk (1-3-4) pacing the club in home points. Eight different Panthers have recorded multiple points at home in 2022-23.
PUCKS ON NET
Following games played Oct. 27, Florida’s 36.9 shots on goal per game were the fourth-most among NHL teams. Matthew Tkachuk’s 39 shots on goal ranked fifth among League skaters. The Panthers recorded 51 shots on goal Oct. 27 at PHI, four shy of the club record of 55 which has been reached four times in franchise history. Additionally, Florida has allowed on 22 shots on goal against in each of their past two contests, and have not allowed more than 30 shots on goal since Oct. 21 vs. TBL.
BOOMING BLUELINE
Florida’s seven goals scored by defensemen tied for the league lead following games played Oct. 27. Gustav Forsling (2-4-6), BrandonMontour (2-3-5) and Josh Mahura (2-0-2) have all contributed multiple goals for Florida this season.
CHUCKIE’S CHEESE
Forward Matthew Tkachuk notched his team-leading sixth assist of the season Oct. 27 at PHI and registered seven shots on goal, the most by a Panthers skater in one game this season. The assist marked his team-leading 10th point of the campaign, and he also paces the club with four goals through Florida’s first eight games. Only three players required fewer games to reach the 10-point mark with the franchise per NHL PR: Pavel Bure (6 GP in 1998-99), Sam Bennett (7 GP in 2020-21) and Jonathan Marchessault (7 GP in 2016-17). Tkachuk scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season Oct. 25 at Chicago while leading Florida forwards with 22:26 time on ice. He currently leads Florida in goals (4), assists (6), points (10), even-strength points (8), shots on goal (39) and multi-point games (3), while producing at least one point in seven of his first eight games with the club. He produced a point in each of his first five games with Florida.
BARKOV COUNTY
Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov posted his fifth assist of the campaign Oct. 27 at PHI while winning 18 of his 31 faceoffs (58%). His six shots on goal in the game were his most this season. Following games played Oct. 27, Barkov was the only NHLer to take more than 200 faceoffs in 2022-23, and he leads the team with a 54.2 faceoff win percentage. He has registered a win percentage above 50% in seven of Florida’s eight games this season. Barkov led Florida skaters with 25:38 time on ice Oct. 21 vs. TBL, a mark he surpassed twice last season (26:55 Oct. 14, 2021 vs. PIT, 25:57 Oct. 30 at BOS). He skated in his 600th NHL game Oct. 19 vs. PHI and posted his second two-assist outing of the season. Barkov is the fourth player in franchise history to skate in 600 games with the club. He notched two assists Oct. 15 at BUF and won 18 of his 30 faceoffs (60%).
MONTOUR OF DUTY
Brandon Montour scored his team-leading second power-play goal of the season Oct. 27 at PHI in a game where he led all skaters with 27:20 time on ice. His goal came :36 into the third period, the fastest goal to start a period by a Panthers skater in 2022-23. Montour has produced a point in each of his past two games (1-1-2) and recorded five points (2-3-5) over six games this season, which ranks second among Florida blueliners behind Gustav Forsling. He produced an assist and led the Panthers in time on ice (28:24) Oct. 25 at CHI, his highest TOI in a game since skating 29:14 March 28, 2019 vs. Detroit. His 25:18 average time on ice per game is the highest on Florida this season.
COL’ ME MAYBE
Colin White has recorded an assist in each of his last three games (0-3-3), marking the longest assist streak of his career and his third three-game point streak of 2022-23. He has registered at least one point in six of Florida’s first eight games, including each of the Panthers first five road games. His five-game road point streak is one shy of the longest to start a season in club history (Johan Garpenlov, Oct. 5-27, 1996). He notched an assist on Ryan Lomberg’s game-winning goal Oct. 23 vs. NYI, and he has produced seven total points (2-5-7) this season, the second-most points on Florida with all seven points coming at even strength. He produced his first multi-point game with the Panthers Oct. 17 at BOS, logging two points (1-1-2). He scored in two straight contests from Oct. 15-17 and posted a point in all three of his first games with Florida. The Boston, Mass., native’s goal Oct. 15 at BUF marked his 100th NHL point, becoming the 62nd Massachusetts native to reach the 100-point mark.
JUST THE TWO OF GUS
Defenseman Gustav Forsling produced an assist Oct. 27 at PHI and has logged three helpers (0-3-3) over his past five games. He leads Florida blueliners with six points (2-4-6) this season, with all six coming at even strength. Forsling notched an assist for the fourth consecutive game Oct. 21 vs. TBL, extending his assist/point streak to four games (1-4-5), tied for the longest point streak of his career. His four-game assist streak was the longest of his career. He registered career highs with 10 goals, 27 assists and 37 points, and nine multi-point games in 2021-22, and his +41 rating was the best in one season in franchise history and tied for the third-highest among NHL skaters.
MR. CARTER
Forward Carter Verhaeghe scored his first two goals of the season Oct. 19 vs. PHI, his 10th career multi-goal game and ninth with Florida. He became the first skater in Panthers history to score multiple goals in consecutive home openers (also 2-0-2 on Oct. 14, 2021). Per NHL stats, only four players in NHL history have posted a longer such run: Peter Bondra (3 GP from 2002-03 – 2005-06 w/ WSH & ATL), Bill Barber (3 GP from 1980-81 – 1982-83 w/ PHI), Guy Lafleur (3 GP from 1975-76 – 1977-78 w/ MTL) and Henri Richard (3 GP from 1960-61 – 1962-63 w/ MTL). The Toronto, Ontario native posted career highs in goals (24), assists (31) and points (55) in 2021-22. All 24 of his goals were scored at even-strength, the most on the Panthers.
ET TU, EETU?
Eetu Luostarinen’s six points (3-3-6) are tied for the third-most on the club. He scored a goal in consecutive games from Oct. 23-35, tied for the longest goal streak of his career. All six of his point have come at even strength, which is tied with Gustav Forsling for the third-most on Florida. His three goals are second-most by a Panthers skater this season, and he has produced at least one point in five of the Panthers first eight contests. He matched his career high with two points (1-1-2) Oct. 23 vs. NYI, his first multi-point game of the season and his fifth with Florida. He led Florida with a plus-three rating in the game, and his plus-eight mark this season leads Florida and is tied for third-best among NHL skaters through games played Oct. 27. The native of Siilinjarvi, Finland produced a point in each of Florida’s first three games (1-2-3).
‘HART OF GOLD
Forward Sam Reinhart produced an assist Oct. 27 at PHI on Brandon Montour’s power-play tally. Each of his assists in 2022-23 have come on the power play. He notched his first assist of the season on the power play Oct. 15 at BUF. Last season, Reinhart led Florida with 16 power-play goals and ranked second with 31 power-play points. He finished 2021-22 with career highs in goals (33), assists (49) and points (82). His 82 points were the most by any player in their first season with Florida, while his 16 power-play goals led the team. Reinhart was the fifth player in franchise history to reach 80 points in a season.
WHAT ABOUT BOB?
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is two games away from becoming the 53rd goaltender in NHL history to appear in at least 600 NHL games. Bobrovsky stopped 21 of 22 TBL shots at even strength on Oct. 21. He earned his first home win of the 2022-23 campaign Oct. 19 vs. PHI stopping 18 of 19 PHI shots in the third period. He stopped 32 of the 33 NYI shots he faced in Florida’s season opener on Oct. 13, including all 27 at even strength and 16 in the first period. Bobrovsky tied for the league lead with a franchise-record 39 wins in 2021-22, including a club-record and league-leading 26 home wins.
RUDY TUESDAYS
Rudolfs Balcers tallied goals in consecutive games from Oct. 19-21, tied for the longest goal streak of his career. He has produced a point in three of his past six games (2-1-3). In 2021-22, the native of Liepaja, Latvia recorded career highs in goals (11), assists (12) and points (23).
BENNY AND THE CATS
Forward Sam Bennett leads Florida forwards with 20 hits this season. He posted two assists Oct. 19 vs. PHI for his second consecutive multi-point game. He registered his first two points (1-1-2) of the season Oct. 17 at BOS. Bennett set career highs in goals (28), assists (21), points (49), power-play goals (5), and game-winning goals (7) in 2021-22, and led the team with a career-high 241 shots on goal.
THE LOMBERGHINI
Ryan Lomberg recorded his first goal of the season Oct. 23 vs. NYI, his second career regular season game-winning tally. He has produced two points (1-1-2) this season, after posting career-bests in goals (9), assists (9), points (18), and games played (55) in 2021-22.
LUN DMC
Anton Lundell has produced a point in two of his past three games (1-1-2). He scored his first goal of the season :39 into the first period Oct. 23 vs. NYI. His 23:08 of shorthanded time on ice ranked eighth among NHL forwards following games played Oct. 27. He also leads Florida forwards with eight blocked shots. He won nine of his 14 faceoffs (64%) Oct. 17 at BOS, and he notched his first assist of the season Oct. 15 at BUF. Lundell produced 18 goals and 44 points (18-26-44) over his first NHL season in 2021-22, both the fourth-most by a rookie in franchise history.
OH WHAT A KNIGHT
Goaltender Spencer Knight posted a .920 save percentage to earn his 25th career win in his 38th appearance Oct. 23 vs. NYI. Only four active goaltenders have reached the 25-win mark in fewer appearances: Frederik Andersen (33 GP), Jordan Binnington (35 GP), Matt Murray (36 GP) and Anton Khudobin (36 GP). It also marked the third-fewest appearances to reach the 25-win mark by an American-born goaltender in NHL history, behind Frank Bimsek (34 GP w/ BOS in 1938-39) and Jim Carey (37 GP w/ WSH from 1994-94 – 1995-96). Last season, Knight posted a 19-9-3 record with two shutouts. His 19 wins set a franchise record for wins by a rookie goaltender, and he joined Roberto Luongo as the only two rookie goaltenders in club history to record multiple shutouts.
THE BUTCHER
Radko Gudas recorded his third assist of 2022-23 Oct. 27 at PHI and led Florida with six hits and three blocked shots while logging five shots on goal. His 31:14 of shorthanded time on ice ranked fifth among all NHL skaters following games played Oct. 27, and he leads Florida with 22 hits this season. He skated 25:11 time on ice Oct. 21 vs. TBL, his highest TOI since skating 25:23 Nov. 28, 2015 at NYR. He registered his second assist of the season Oct. 19 vs. PHI, and tied for the team lead in plus-minus in the game with a plus-three rating, tied for the highest single-game mark on Florida this season. Gudas notched an assist and led all Florida skaters with five hits in Florida’s season opener Oct. 13 at NYI.
GOTTA GO TO MO’
Paul Maurice earned his first home-ice victory with the Panthers Oct. 19 vs. PHI. He began his 25th season as an NHL head coach with a victory Oct. 13 at NYI. Maurice was named head coach of the Panthers on June 22, 2022. Maurice has coached 1,692 games, which ranks as the fourth-most in League history. His 779 victories as an NHL head coach are the seventh-most all time, and he is one of three coaches to earn at least 300 wins with two different franchises.
