Brady Tkachuk’s return to Ottawa gave the home crowd exactly the kind of night it wanted.
The Senators erased the early deficit he created, then kept pouring it on in a 5-1 win over the Panthers on Wednesday, ending Florida’s three-game winning streak. The game boiled over late, too, with Brady ending up in the Florida room after a final-minute scrum as trash, jerseys, and other debris rained onto the ice.
Tkachuk was booed as soon as warmups began, and an obscene chant rolled through the building at points during the night. The noise only grew after his tribute video, because not long after that, he had already put Florida on top.
On a power play, Matthew Tkachuk set up his younger brother for the opening goal, and Brady finished the play to make it 1-0 Panthers at 10:00 of the first period. That was about as good as it got for Florida.
Ottawa answered before the end of the period when Tim Stutzle buried a power-play one-timer from the right circle at 14:13. From there, the Senators took control. Claude Giroux ripped home a goal from the slot in the second, and Shane Pinto added another later in the period after getting loose and slipping one past despite Niko Mikkola’s pressure.
The third period turned into a parade for Ottawa as well. Florida didn’t manage a shot before Warren Foegele made it 4-1 from the slot about three minutes into the frame, and Stephen Halliday finished the scoring at 14:57 with a one-time finish off a drop pass from Stutzle.
Linus Ullmark stopped 16 shots for Ottawa before leaving at 3:35 of the third period after making a kick save. Samuel Ersson came in for the Senators after that, but the outcome was already settled.
Brady Tkachuk finished with 13:13 of ice time, three penalties, and a minus-2 rating.
The night also carried a few statistical notes for Brady and Matthew. Brady Tkachuk became the fourth player to score at least seven goals through his first 10 career games with the Panthers, joining Pavel Bure (10 in 1998-99), Ray Whitney (seven in 1997-98), and Ray Sheppard (seven in 1995-96). His seven goals in the first 10 games of a season are tied for fourth-most by a Panthers player, along with those names and seasons, plus Sam Reinhart’s eight in 2023 and Scott Mellanby’s eight in 1995.
Matthew Tkachuk’s assist extended his point streak to nine games. He has recorded a point in all but Florida’s 1-0 overtime win at Carolina in the opener.
The Panthers head to Pittsburgh next to face the Penguins on Thursday at PPG Arena.
In Other News...
Panthers Just Saw A Costly Senators Concern Emerge
The Panthers picked up another bit of late-game information to monitor when Ottawa goaltender Linus Ullmark left Sundays matchup after an apparent lower-body injury. He had been sharp before exiting, turning aside 16 of 17 shots, and his departure came early in the third period after he needed assistance from the Senators training staff and Claude Giroux.
For Florida, the immediate concern is less about the one night than what it could mean down the road if Ottawa is forced to navigate more games without its starting goalie. No severity update has been reported, and Ullmarks availability has already been a storyline this season after he previously missed time following an earlier injury against Boston, along with a personal leave of absence. [Read more 🡒]
Brady Tkachuks Ottawa Return Turned Ugly In A Game Jets Fans Noticed
Brady Tkachuks first return to Ottawa in a Panthers sweater had all the edge you would expect, and then some. The Senators were in control for most of the night in a 5-1 win, with Tim Stutzle, Claude Giroux, Shane Pinto, Warren Foegele and Stephen Halliday all finding the net while Florida could only answer once, on Tkachuks goal against his former team.
The atmosphere around Tkachuk never softened, and the game took another troubling turn for Florida when Linus Ullmark was forced out early in the third period. After making a pad save, he needed assistance to leave the ice, adding another layer of concern to a night that already felt heavy for the Panthers. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Loss Put One Frustrating Question On Floridas Defense
The Panthers latest loss left the familiar concern hanging over the blue line, because the game turned into a test of depth, discipline and poise more than anything else. Jordan Spence logged nearly 19 minutes, chipped in two shots and two hits, and helped create a scoring chance, while Nikolas Matinpalo mixed in some useful work despite taking a high-sticking penalty and absorbing plenty of contact.
Carter Yakemchuk had a rougher night in his own end, even if he managed four blocks, and the kind of miscues that can tilt a tight game were impossible to ignore. In goal, Linus Ullmark was steady enough with his positioning and came up with key saves, while Samuel Ersson saw little action late, leaving Florida with one more reminder that the defense still has to tighten up when the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]