Ottawa Senators shut out Florida Panthers 3-0, secure playoff position

The Ottawa Senators secured a dominant 3-0 victory over the Florida Panthers, highlighted by Anton Forsberg's impressive 40-save shutout, marking his third of the season. Ottawa's offense was led by Jake Sanderson and Drake Batherson, who scored early in the first period, setting the tone for the game. The Senators have now moved to 41-29-6, just four points behind the Panthers for third place in the Atlantic Division, as they chase their first playoff berth since 2016-17. Conversely, Florida's struggles continued, marking their fourth consecutive loss, despite outshooting Ottawa 40-22. The Panthers have now gone five straight games scoring two goals or fewer, and their chances of winning the Atlantic Division appear to be diminishing. Both teams are set to play again on Sunday, with Ottawa facing the Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida taking on the Toronto Maple Leafs.