Panthers turn it on with 4 goals in 2nd period, top Senators 6-3 in Ottawa

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Frank Vatrano scored the deciding goal as part of Florida’s four-goal outburst in the second period, and the Panthers beat the Ottawa Senators 6-3 on Thursday night.

Evgenii Dadonov scored his second power-play goal of the game to tie it at 2-all for Florida (21-14-5), and 89 seconds later Noel Acciari gave the Panthers the lead.

Vatrano and Colton Sceviour scored 44 seconds apart in the final minute of the second period to put the game out of reach. Jonathan Huberdeau added an empty-net goal in the third to round out the scoring for Florida.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves and earned his first road win since Oct. 30.

Tyler Ennis and Chris Tierney scored in the first period to give Ottawa (16-20-5) a 2-1 lead heading into the first break. Connor Brown scored in the third.

Craig Anderson stopped 25 shots for the Senators, who play eight home games this month..

After Dadonov opened scoring 1:41 into the game, Ennis tied it when his backhand shot deflected off Riley Stillman‘s stick and over Bobrovsky. The Senators took the lead as Tierney took a pass from Anthony Duclair and scored on a wrist shot to the far side.

Dadonov scored again at the 8:54 mark of the second period.

Ottawa played a better third period, and was able to get a goal from Brown late in the period.

NOTES: This was the second game between the teams, with the Panthers taking the first 6-1 on Dec. 16. … Ottawa acquired defenseman Mike Reilly from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Andrew Sturtz and the Senators’ fifth-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft on Thursday night. … Rudolfs Balcers made his season debut for the Senators after being recalled from AHL Belleville, where he has eight goals and 16 assists in 19 games.