Two of the league’s most penalized teams are set to meet at FLA Live Arena on Thursday, as the Ottawa Senators (37-34-7) travel to take on the Florida Panthers (40-31-7).Ottawa is coming off a 3-2 overtime loss against the Hurricanes on Tuesday, their third defeat in a row.
The Senators committed four penalties in the game, conceding one power play goal. Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux both scored once for the Senators. Alex DeBrincat had two assists to lead the team in scoring.
Leevi Merilainen had 34 saves in the loss. Florida won for the fourth straight game, beating the Sabres 2-1 on Tuesday. Matthew Tkachuk and Aaron Ekblad both scored once for the Panthers. Brandon Montour had two assists to lead the team in scoring. Alex Lyon was impressive in the win, making 39 saves (.975%).
HEAD TO HEAD
The teams have split their two meetings this season, the most recent of which was a 5-2 victory for the Senators in March. B. Tkachuk led Ottawa with two points (1G 1A). Gustav Forsling led Florida with two goals. Mads Sogaard got the win, saving 32 of 34 shots (.941%).
FACING OFF
Ottawa is averaging 3.13 goals per game for the season, 19th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Panthers team that is allowing 3.33 goals a game (23rd).
Meanwhile, Florida has found the net 3.49 times a game on average, fifth in the league, and the Senators are allowing opponents to score 3.24 goals per game (20th).
Florida averages more shots per game (36.7) than any other team in the league, though the team’s 9.6% shooting percentage ranks 22nd. With an average of 33.1 attempts, Ottawa ranks eighth.
Don’t be surprised to see a few power play opportunities in the game, as the Senators and Panthers have more penalties per game than most teams in the NHL.
The Senators are averaging 4.55 penalties/game, third-most in the league, while the Panthers have been penalized 4.59 times a game on average (32nd).The Senators’ 24.48% power play percentage ranks sixth in the league, while the Panthers are 12th with a conversion rate of 22.14%. In terms of defending power plays, Ottawa has the league’s 10th-ranked PK% at 81.88%, while Florida is 27th at 74.64%.
TOP PERFORMERS:
Tim Stuetzle and B. Tkachuk have been the top skaters for the Senators this season with 84 and 79 points. In the net, Cam Talbot (16-14-2) is Ottawa’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 2.89 GAA and a .900% save percentage.
M. Tkachuk leads the Panthers in scoring with 103 points (5th in the league). He has 39 goals and 64 assists (7th). Sergei Bobrovsky (24-20-3) has the best goals against average for Florida at 3.07. He has a save percentage of .901%.
HOME AND AWAY
Ottawa is looking to reverse a four-game losing skid away from Canadian Tire Centre this season. Florida is 22-12-4 at home this season.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
Florida Panthers -1.5 (+100)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
