Florida Panthers vs Ottawa Senators Picks and Predictions February 8th 2025

Senators Try to Avert Third Straight Loss at Panthers

The Ottawa Senators were rolling until their trip to Florida abruptly stalled their momentum. Now, they aim to avoid a third straight loss and head into the 4 Nations Face-Off break on a high note by defeating the surging Florida Panthers on Saturday night in Sunrise, Fla.

Get expert NHL betting picks and stay ahead of the action!

Senators Seeking to Rebound

Ottawa outscored opponents 21-8 during a five-game winning streak before dropping consecutive road games against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tuesday’s 4-3 defeat was followed by a 5-1 loss on Thursday, allowing Tampa Bay to pull even with Ottawa for third place in the Atlantic Division. The Senators now sit in the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference but are focused on bouncing back before the NHL’s in-season tournament break.

“(We’d won) five in a row. … If we can get a win in Florida on Saturday, that would be a good closeout before the break,” forward Drake Batherson said.

Tim Stutzle, who is riding a seven-game point streak (two goals, eight assists), scored twice, and Linus Ullmark made 31 saves in Ottawa’s 3-1 home victory over Florida on Oct. 10. However, the Senators are winless (0-4-1) in their last five trips to Florida since an 8-2 win on Dec. 14, 2021.

Panthers Continuing Strong Form

Florida has been dominant at home, outscoring opponents 17-4 during a four-game home winning streak. The reigning champions are also 7-3-0 in their last 10 games, with their latest win coming in dramatic fashion—a 3-2 victory over St. Louis on Thursday.

Matthew Tkachuk’s second goal of the night, a tiebreaker with just 11.8 seconds left in regulation, sealed the win. The Panthers star has been on fire, tallying seven goals and six assists over his last seven games.

“He’s a driver,” teammate Sam Reinhart said of Tkachuk. “He’s the heartbeat when he’s going like that. It seems like when the moment gets bigger, he rises to the occasion.”

Saturday also brings another chapter in the Tkachuk brother rivalry. Matthew leads the Panthers’ charge, while Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa’s star forward, ranks third on his team with 43 points. However, he was held without a point in both losses to Tampa Bay this week. Both brothers registered an assist in their October meeting.

Goaltending Matchup

Florida’s Spencer Knight stopped 20 of 22 shots on Thursday and has been stellar in 2025, posting a 5-2-0 record with a 1.75 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage. Meanwhile, top goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky could return to the crease after allowing four goals in a 6-3 loss to Washington on Tuesday—his first subpar performance following four consecutive wins.

Ready to Make the Smartest NHL Bets?

Get Exclusive Predictions Now!

Sign Up!

For Ottawa, Ullmark made 34 saves in Tuesday’s loss to Tampa Bay, marking his return from a back injury that sidelined him since Dec. 22. Anton Forsberg, who has allowed four goals in two of his last three starts, could also get the nod in net.

Can Ottawa Overcome Injuries and End Their Skid?

The Senators are dealing with injuries, as Shane Pinto (11 goals, 11 assists) may miss a second straight game due to an upper-body issue. Additionally, key forward Josh Norris remains out with a mid-body injury.

Will the Senators break their Florida losing streak, or will the Panthers continue their dominant run?