3 takeaways from Senators' opening night win against Panthers

2024's opening night at Canadian Tire Centre for the Ottawa Senators was one of the most anticipated opening nights in franchise history. With Linus Ullmark making his Senators debut, it added more excitement for the game.

The Senators had a tough opponent to begin the 2024-25 season against by facing the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, but it didn't bother the Senators one bit.

The Senators defeated the Panthers 3-1 at Canadian Tire Centre to start 1-0-0 in the 2024-25 season. The Panthers were riding high entering the game with a 6-4 win on Tuesday night, but the Senators had other ideas. The Senators also snapped their five-game losing streak against the Panthers.

Pressure and excitement was all around the Senators, but they earned themselves an impressive victory against one of the elite teams in the NHL.

3. The energy and excitement from Senator fans felt different inside

The Senators have struggled with attendance and creating a tough home ice advantage by having a seven-year playoff drought at Canadian Tire Centre. However, the energy inside for the 2024 opening night was a different feeling than years past.

The Sens faithful got loud when Tim Stutzle scored 5:52 to open up the scoring on the powerplay, and the arena wouldn't stop buzzing all night. Fans were loud watching Ullmark make his Senators debut.

The Senator fans were loud chanting for the captain Brady Tkachuk, and even chanted "Brady's better" at Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, Brady's brother before the game. Matthew laughed it off at the bench.

Energy inside the Canadian Tire Centre has been missing for years, but tonight was a different feeling. If the Sens faithful is loud every game, it offers the team to feed off the energy and create a dominant home ice advantage. The Senators struggled last season with a 21-18-2 record at home, but starting off with a home win against the defending champion is a great opening statement.

2. Tim Stutzle and Shane Pinto are destined for big seasons

If the Senators are going to have success this season, they are going to need to have their top offensive talented players produce goals. Tonight, two players scored goals, but the Senators need them to keep scoring.

Tim Stutzle opened the scoring just 5:52 into the game, and Shane Pinto scored his first goal of the season in the first period as well. Stutzle only recorded one powerplay goal last season after scoring 10 in the 2022-23 season. To have Stutzle score in the first game of the season on the powerplay is a great sign. Stutzle scored the empty netter for his second goal of the game to ice the game.

PInto is destined for a big step this season after recording 27 points in 41 games last season. Pinto got the arena buzzing less than five minutes after Stutzle scored the first goal of the game. Pinto did the work himself on the goal by firing a beautiful wrist shot past Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. For Pinto to record the game winning goal the first game of the season is a step in the right direction for a big season.

Both Stutzle and Pinto will be relied on heavily by head coach Travis Green to help win games. With both of them being really young, the sky can be the limit for them this season.