SUNRISE, Fla. - Randy Robitaille scored twice and Ray Emery stopped a penalty shot in the third period, helping the Ottawa Senators snap a seven-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory over the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night.
Mike Fisher, Nick Foligno and Jason Spezza also scored for the Senators. Ottawa won for the first time since a 4-2 victory over Montreal on Nov. 19. It was Ottawa's longest winless streak since an 11-game slide in the 1995-96 season.
The Senators are 6-0 against Florida in the last two seasons.
Olli Jokinen had two goals for Florida, which has lost three in a row since a four-game winning streak got the Panthers to .500. Steve Montador had a goal and two assists, and David Booth had the other goal.
Emery finished with 21 saves.
Ottawa led 3-2 with 15:25 left in the third period when Emery stopped Kamil Kreps' penalty shot. Kreps, who scored in a shootout at Washington on Nov. 28, tried to beat Emery with a deke to his forehand, but the Senators goaltender made a pad save.
Florida goalie Tomas Vokoun was pulled 7:10 into the first period after giving up two goals on five shots. He was replaced by Craig Anderson, who made 24 saves.
After Emery stopped the penalty shot, Spezza made it 4-2 with a power-play goal at 7:08 of the third. He beat Anderson with a shot from a sharp angle that found its way between Anderson's pads.
Booth closed the gap to 4-3 at 10:26 when he put home a rebound with a backhand.
Robitaille restored the two-goal lead at 14:36. Spezza's pass across the crease went in off Robitaille's chest and the goal was allowed after video review.
Jokinen closed out the scoring with his second goal of the game with 13.9 seconds left in the third period.
After goals by Robitaille and Fisher gave Ottawa an early 2-0 lead, Florida tied it in the first period with goals by Jokinen and Montador.
Foligno gave Ottawa the lead again with the only goal of the second period when he tipped in Andrej Meszaros' wrist shot from the point.
Notes: Ottawa didn't have a shot on goal in the last 10:08 of the first period ... Spezza's goal extended his point streak to nine games ... Florida C Garth Murray sustained a right shoulder injury during a fight with Chris Neil at 2:45 of the first period and didn't return ... Ottawa hasn't lost against Florida since April 13, 2006, when the Panthers won 5-4 in overtime ... Ottawa D Anton Volchenkov missed his third consecutive game because of a broken finger ... The Senators continue their road trip Friday in Dallas against the Stars (8:30 p.m., Sens TV, Team 1200). Emery will make his third straight start.
Associated Press