Brady Tkachuk scores in Ottawa return, but Senators pound Panthers

Tim Stutzle and Stephen Halliday each had a goal and an assist for the Ottawa Senators, who spoiled the return of former teammate Brady Tkachuk with a 5-1 win against the visiting Florida Panthers on Wednesday.

Claude Giroux, Shane Pinto and Warren Foegele also scored for Ottawa, which has won five of its past seven games. Jake Sanderson had two assists, and Linus Ullmark made 17 saves before leaving early in the third period with a lower-body injury. Samuel Ersson replaced him and stopped the only shot he faced.

Tkachuk scored for the Panthers in his first game back in Ottawa since the former Senators captain was traded to Florida in June for a slew of draft picks. He was greeted by boos and negative chants from the crowd.

Akira Schmid made 25 saves for the Panthers, who had won three straight games.

Tkachuk gave Florida a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal midway through the first period.

Artem Zub was in the penalty box serving one of 11 first-period penalties when Tkachuk received a pass from his brother, Matthew Tkachuk, while stationed beside the crease. Brady Tkachuk quickly spun to face Ullmark and shoved the puck under the goalie's pads for his seventh goal of the season.

The Senators were on a power play when Stutzle's sixth goal of the season tied the game at 1-1 at 14:13 of the first period.

Stutzle took a slap shot from just above the hash marks that was blocked by Seth Jones. The puck caromed to Sanderson in the left circle, and he quickly passed to Stutzle at the inside edge of the right circle for a one-timer.

Giroux gave the Senators a 2-1 lead at 9:34 of the second period. He received a back pass near the left point, skated above the hash marks and scored with a wrist shot as Dylan Cozens provided a screen.

Sanderson fed the puck ahead to Pinto, who had just one player to beat. Pinto held off Niko Mikkola as he slid the puck under a sprawled Schmid to make it 3-1 at 17:18 of the second period.

Foegele scored short-handed with a one-timer from the left hash marks off a feed from Cozens to make it 4-1 at 7:58 of the third period. Halliday added the final goal on a short-handed rush at 14:57.

--Field Level Media