After Thursday night's crucial 2-1 bounce back win against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Ottawa Senators will face the other team from the Sunshine State for the final time this season, the Florida Panthers.
The Senators are chasing a spot in the 2025 playoffs with 86 points in the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference at the moment. Another chance to avenge a brutal loss from February for the Senators awaits today.
Sens host Cats in Ottawa
The Senators host the Panthers at Canadian Tire Centre with puck drop scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.
Two crucial points were earned on Thursday against the Lightning. Ridly Greig recorded an assist on both Ottawa goals scored by Shane Pinto and Jake Sanderson to record his first 30-point season of his career. Linus Ullmark bounced back by making 31 saves to earn the win after allowing in four goals this past Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres.
As for the Panthers, they come into today's game with a 44-27-4 record. The Panthers have lost their last three games with the most recent being a 3-2 road loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs this past Wednesday.
Sam Reinhart leads the Panthers with 37 goals and 78 points. The Panthers are currently dealing with injuries to both star forwards Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk.
The Senators have played the Panthers twice this season. In the first meeting in Ottawa on Oct. 10, the Senators won 3-1. In the last meeting in Florida on Feb. 8, the Panthers scored five unanswered goals to win 5-1. The rubber match today is crucial for both teams with the playoffs on the horizon.