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Former captain Tkachuk hears boos in return as Senators roll to 5-1 win over Panthers
Five Senators scored and tempers flared after Matthew Tkachuk’s return, while Florida’s three-game winning streak ended.
On Wednesday, the Ottawa Senators defeated the Florida Panthers 5-1 in front of a sellout crowd of 17,010 at Canadian Tire Centre in an Atlantic Division matchup.
Former captain Brady Tkachuk faced relentless booing from fans after requesting a trade last summer; the 2018 NHL Draft pick spent his first eight seasons with Ottawa before joining Florida in June.
Tim Stutzle and Stephen Halliday each recorded a goal and an assist, while Claude Giroux, Shane Pinto, and Warren Foegele also scored for Ottawa, which led 3-1 after 40 minutes.
Despite the decisive victory, top goalie Linus Ullmark departed early in the third period with a lower-body injury, requiring Samuel Ersson to enter in relief and stop the only shot he faced.
Following this win, Ottawa will host the San Jose Sharks on Thursday to continue battling for position in the difficult Atlantic Division as the team has won five of its past seven games.