Florida @ Ottawa preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 3, 2019 ) Ottawa 3, Florida 2

Other than trying to avoid finishing with the worst record in the NHL, the Ottawa Senators have little for which to play over the final six games. The Senators have shown signs of life over the past two weeks and have a chance to post their first three-game winning streak since Nov. 27-Dec. 1 when they host the Florida Panthers on Thursday night.

Ottawa won for the fourth time in six games and earned its second shutout in that span with a 4-0 victory over Buffalo on Tuesday to push its home winning streak to three. Craig Anderson made 35 saves to earn the shutout for his second straight victory after enduring a 14-game winless drought. The Panthers scored 20 goals during a four-game winning streak earlier this month to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, but they have surrendered 20 tallies in losing their last three. "We kind of just quit," forward Vincent Trocheck said after Tuesday's 6-1 drubbing in Montreal officially eliminated Florida from postseason contention. "It's extremely embarrassing. Every single guy in here should be embarrassed these last three games."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Florida, RDS2, TSN5 (Ottawa)

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (33-32-12): Florida has used all three goaltenders during the three-game skid, with rookie Sam Montembeault and James Reimer each yanked in the first period of the past two losses. "In this league it's tough to come back from two or three goals," coach Bob Boughner said. "It's been a pattern in the last few games. ... We've come into these last three games and we've hit a bit of a wall." Frank Vatrano, appearing in his 200th game, supplied the lone bright spot with his 23rd goal -- two fewer than his first four seasons combined.

ABOUT THE SENATORS (27-43-6): Forward Brian Gibbons, who had only two goals in 44 games with Anaheim this season, has scored in back-to-back contests to give him five tallies and 10 points in 14 games with Ottawa. “I used it as a fresh start here and I’ve just been playing better,” Gibbons said. “A lot of times you can look for reasons or excuses, but at the end of the day it’s just up to you to play well." Anthony Duclair, acquired in a trade with Columbus, also is finishing strong with five goals and nine points in 15 games with the Senators.

OVERTIME

1. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is six points shy of tying Pavel Bure's single-season franchise record of 94.

2. Senators D Thomas Chabot has four assists during a three-game point streak.

3. Ex-Senators F Mike Hoffman has scored 21 of his career-best 35 goals on the road.

PREDICTION: Panthers 4, Senators 2