*Photo from Sportsnaut*
Not that they needed any more validation as one of the elite teams of the NHL, the Florida Panthers just got some more. Sam Bennett scored, Carter Verhaeghe scored twice, and the Panthers shut out the Ottawa Senators with a 4-0 victory on Thursday night in Ottawa.
The win improves the Panthers record to a really good looking 58-17-6 on the season. They are first in the Atlantic Division and the whole Eastern Conference, and are poised for a matchup with the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs.
But it's not just their division and conference that the Panthers are first in. With their shutout win and the Colorado Avalanche OT loss to the Nashville Predators, the Panthers have officially clinched the presidents trophy for the best record in the NHL. It's the first time in team history the Panthers have gotten the trophy, and they'll have home ice advantage for as long as they're in the playoffs.
Panthers interim head coach Andrew Brunette said of getting the trophy that "I think the depth of our team has been on display every night, all year. And tonight was no different. Regardless of whoever plays, we compete. And we play hard and we do the right things, we play the right way and we buy into what we're trying to do."
The Panthers started the scoring fairly early this game, with Sam Reinhart scoring his 33rd goal of the season, coming 6:01 into the opening period, assisted by Bennett. After the rest of the first and entire second period went scoreless, Bennett scored just 1:11 into the 3rd period, making it a 2-0 Panthers lead.
Just a mere 21 seconds later, Verhaeghe picked up his 23rd goal of the season, at the 1:32 mark of the 3rd, with assists coming from Eetu Luostarinen and Maxim Mamin, making it a 3-0 lead for the Panthers. Verhaeghe then scored at the 13:08 mark of the period, making it 4-0 Panthers on his second goal of the night, assisted by Luostarinen and Mamin again.
It was rookie Spencer Knight who got the start for the Panthers, and he performed well in what might be his last chance of the season. Knight stopped each of the 27 shots he faced, posting his second career shutout. With the win, Knight's record jumps to 19-9-3 on the season.
Brunette said of the team's performance in front of Knight that "I'm proud of our group that we buckled down and kind of had a bit of a checking mentality where we didn't give up a whole lot in the third period to make sure we got him the shutout. Because I think we get a little loosey-goosey when we get up four. Sometimes we're trying to make it five instead of just shutting it down at four. Guys did that tonight, and I think going forward for Spencer, to get that shutout in his last start, it's great for him."
Getting the start for the Senators was Filip Gustavsson, who didn't have the best night between the pipes. Gustavsson saved 26 out of the 30 shots from the Panthers he faced. That was only good for a .867 save percentage, dropping his record on the season to 5-12-1 in 18 appearances and 16 starts.
Senators head coach DJ Smith said of the loss at home that "We didn't play by any of the structure that we play with that's allowed us a chance to win every night. No matter how many guys are out, you play with structure and you stay in it. We had a lot of people on their own page and taking long shifts. We've played a lot better hockey."
Up next, the Panthers head to Canada to face the Montreal Canadiens on Friday, with Sergei Bobrovsky to get the start in goal. Anton Forsberg starts for the Senators as they take on the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday night.
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