OTTAWA (AP) -- Florida coach Mike Keenan didn't like the chances
Ottawa's dangerous power-play unit was given.
Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza scored power-play goals in
regulation and Todd White scored 3 minutes into overtime to give Ottawa
a 3-2 victory over the Panthers on Thursday night.
Alfredsson's goal came just 6 seconds after the Senators enjoyed a
5-on-3 advantage for a full 2 minutes in the second period as a result
of Keenan's penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct at 13:39.
"I'm very disappointed in the officiating,'' Keenan said. "Twice in the
overtime they had too many men on the ice and they touched the puck,
and those three penalties that put us down 5-on-3, I thought was poor
officiating.''
With Olli Jokinen already in the penalty box for hooking at 13:08, Jani
Hurme was called for interference 21 seconds later after he dumped
Martin Havlat.
Keenan took a stick and banged it on the boards in front of Florida's
bench. The Panthers had three players in the box once Keenan was
penalized.
"That was caused by myself because I thought the calls were poor
calls,'' Keenan said. "On Hurme, he was interfered with by their
player, then the player dove, and the call on Jokinen, Alfredsson took
a dive. If he didn't take a dive, he's not very strong on his feet, but
I have a lot more respect for Alfredsson than at least what I saw on
those two plays.''
The Senators failed to take advantage of having two extra skaters, but
Alfredsson finally made the long man-advantage pay off when he took
Spezza's pass and beat Hurme for his seventh of the season at 15:43.
The goal gave Ottawa power-play goals in 13 straight games, extending
the team record.
"We know our power play is hot right now so if we can get a couple of
power plays, we can get the lead and get us going,'' Alfredsson said.
Tied at 2 through regulation, Alfredsson set up White's overtime
winner. White scored his third of the season when he took Alfredsson's
pass from behind the net and beat former teammate Hurme to give Ottawa
its second straight win.
"It was a great play by Alfie, he drew two men to him and made a great
pass,'' White said.
Sandis Ozolinsh and Kristian Huselius scored for Florida, which had
ties in its previous two games and hasn't lost in regulation in six
(2-0-2-2).
"I think we have a lot of confidence right now,'' Huselius said. "We
had a good comeback tonight and at least it's a point, but it's still
tough to lose.''
Ottawa is 1-0-1 in overtime this season. The Panthers are 3-3-3.
"Both teams had a lot of good chances,'' White said. "Our power play
was great again tonight but we still didn't score 5-on-5.''
With the Senators leading 1-0 following Alfredsson's goal, Ozolinsh
evened it with a power-play goal with 53 seconds left in the middle
period.
Spezza's second of the season 5:39 into the third put Ottawa up 2-1,
but Huselius beat goalie Patrick Lalime from the edge of the crease
with 8:34 remaining in regulation for his fifth goal in six games to
draw Florida even.
Game notes
The Panthers were 1-for-4 on the power-play. Ottawa was 2-for-5. ...
Senators RW Marian Hossa assisted on Spezza's goal to extend his points
streak to five games. Hossa has four goals and four assists during the
streak. ... The Senators have scored a power-play goal in every game
since going 0-for-5 in a season-opening loss to New Jersey.