The Florida Panthers skate into Canadian Tire Centre minus captain Brady Tkachuk, giving Sergei Bobrovsky and his league-leading defense a potential edge against a Senators squad fighting for playoff positioning.
Ottawa's home ice advantage and Linus Ullmark's solid .908 save percentage could neutralize Florida's potent offense led by Sam Reinhart (37 goals) and Aleksander Barkov, especially if the Sens can exploit their impressive 23.4% power play conversion rate.
With recent history favoring the visitors (9-2-0 in their last 11 meetings), Saturday's Atlantic clash promises intensity as the Ottawa Senators look to upset the Florida Panthers in what could be a playoff preview.
Ottawa Senators vs. Florida Panthers prediction: who will win?
For today's Ottawa Senators vs Florida Panthers matchup, our predictive model gives the Panthers a 67.67% chance of defeating the Senators.
Pre-game probabilities
Florida Panthers
Moneyline
Win %
67.67%
32.33%
Ottawa Senators
Florida Panthers: 67.67% win probability
- Strong defensive record (204 goals against, 5th best in Eastern Conference)
- Consistent winning record (44 wins in 75 games played)
- Better position in standings (5th in Eastern Conference with 92 points vs Senators' 7th with 86 points)
Ottawa Senators: 32.33% win probability
- Equal goals for and against (215 each, showing defensive vulnerabilities)
- Lower win percentage (40 wins in 75 games compared to Panthers' 44)
- Inconsistent recent form (WLLWW) indicating potential stability issues
- Home ice advantage not fully capitalized on throughout season
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts..
| Ottawa Senators | Florida Panthers | |
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| Moneyline |
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Ottawa Senators vs. Florida Panthers preview
The Florida Panthers roll into Ottawa's Canadian Tire Centre this Saturday afternoon looking to continue their dominant stretch against the Senators, having won 9 of their last 11 meetings against the hosts.
Missing their captain Brady Tkachuk due to an upper-body injury, Ottawa faces an uphill battle against a Panthers squad that's built on defensive excellence with Sergei Bobrovsky (2.41 GAA, .906 save percentage) likely getting the start between the pipes.
Florida's dynamic offense, spearheaded by Sam Reinhart's 78 points (37 goals, 41 assists) and complemented by playmakers Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk, will look to exploit an Ottawa team missing their leading goal-scorer.
The Senators aren't pushovers though - they've been markedly better at home this season with Linus Ullmark (.908 save percentage) giving them stability in net, while Tim Stützle has stepped up as their offensive catalyst.
Both teams have impressive special teams units, with Florida's penalty kill ranking among the league leaders in shorthanded goals and Ottawa converting power plays at an impressive 23.4% clip.
Coming off a tough 3-2 loss to Toronto, the Panthers will be hungry to clean up their game and strengthen their playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference.
For Ottawa, currently sitting at 40-29-6, this matchup represents a chance to prove they can compete with established contenders despite their recent struggles against Florida.
Expect a tight-checking affair with playoff-like intensity as these Atlantic Division rivals clash in what could be a crucial test of Ottawa's depth without their captain.
Ottawa Senators vs. Florida Panthers form
Ottawa Senators vs. Florida Panthers head to head
Ottawa Senators
17%
Florida Panthers
83%
Feb 9, 2025
Florida Panthers
5 : 1
Ottawa Senators
Oct 10, 2024
Ottawa Senators
3 : 1
Florida Panthers
Apr 9, 2024
Florida Panthers
2 : 0
Ottawa Senators
Apr 4, 2024
Ottawa Senators
0 : 6
Florida Panthers
Feb 21, 2024
Florida Panthers
3 : 2
Ottawa Senators
Nov 28, 2023
Ottawa Senators
0 : 5
Florida Panthers
