Marcel Goc popped a Mike Weaver shot over rookie goaltender Robin Lehner for his seventh goal of the season less than a minute into the second, breathing new life into the Panthers. It was Weaver’s 15th assist, his career high. Tomas Kopecky also earned an assist on the play.
At the three minute mark, Krys Barch found himself all alone on a breakaway chance in front of Lehner. He skated in, waited for the goalie to commit, then flipped it over the prone rookie to get the Cats even. It was Barch’s second of the season and only the 12th of his six season career. Jack Skille assisted, as did Mike Weaver with his second in two minutes.
Ed Jovanovski was slapped in the face by by Chris Neil’s stick as he was trying to swat the puck away from the net. It looked like he dinked his head on the crossbar, and didn’t look so good afterward. Neil was given a four minute double minor for high-sticking.
It took the Panthers one minute to score with the man advantage, as Mikael Samuelsson scored his ninth goal of the season on a Brian Campbell cross-ice special. Stephen Weiss picked up an assist as well. It was Campbell’s 40th assist of the season, a mark Campbell has only reached on three prior occasions, the latest when he picked up 45 with the Chicago Black Hawks in 2008-09.
The goal was scored early enough in the power play that the Senators were forced to stay on the penalty kill for a full two minutes afterward, but the Panthers did not threaten to score again.
Jason Spezza was called for cross checking Mike Weaver with less than 20 seconds remaining in a little extra activity more than 100-feet from the puck.
Hits: Panthers 31-24 (Krys Barch and Jack Skille lead Florida with four, Rob Klinkhammer had six for the Senators)
Blocked Shots: Panthers 15-5 (Tyson Strachan has four for Florida)
Faceoffs: Panthers 20-14 (Zenon Konopka has won five-of-eight for the Sens, Marcel Goc is 7-for-11 for the Cats)
Shots on Goal: Panthers 23-20 (Chris Neil and Kyle Turris lead the Senators with four, Marcel Goc also has four for the Cats)
Score: Florida 3, Ottawa 2