Michael Amadio had a goal and an assist, and Drake Batherson and Jordan Spence scored for the Senators (38-26-10), who have lost three straight. Linus Ullmark allowed five goals on 16 shots before being replaced by James Reimer, who made 12 saves in relief.
Ottawa remained two points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference with eight games remaining. The Senators have played one fewer game than the Blue Jackets.
“Disappointing. We talked about the importance of a good start in this building and that was the opposite,” Ottawa coach Travis Green said. “We just looked flat, didn’t have a lot of energy. … We just weren’t good enough tonight. Flat out, we had a lot of players who weren’t good enough.”
Noah Gregor gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead eight seconds into the first. After Florida won the opening face-off, Jones sent the puck into the offensive zone and off the end boards. It caromed to the front of the net, and Ullmark deferred playing it before it rolled off Spence’s stick and went right to Gregor for the finish.
Mackie Samoskevich made it 2-0 at 1:06 with a power-play goal from the right side, redirecting Jones’ backdoor pass.
The Panthers extended the lead to 3-0 with another power-play goal at 9:09. Verhaeghe gathered a loose puck to the right of the net and banked in a sharp-angled shot off Ullmark.
“We had a great first and just stuck with it,” Verhaeghe said. “We were moving, were good on the forecheck, and were skating with the puck.”
Florida then pushed the lead to 5-0 by scoring twice within 34 seconds. A.J. Greer one-timed a pass from Eetu Luostarinen at 14:02, and Verhaeghe scored off a Bennett feed on a 2-on-1 at 14:36, chasing Ullmark.
Batherson’s 30th goal of the season made it 5-1 at 1:40 of the second period. He scored with a wrist shot from the left face-off circle.
“We generated a bit in the second to just try and get back in the game,” Batherson said. “We’re in the middle of the hunt right now for a spot. We have to get ready for the next game. … It isn’t like losing tonight means the season is over. It probably makes our job a little harder. But I trust this group.”
Tkachuk got his fourth point of the night and gave Florida a 6-1 lead at 12:41 when he charged the net and scored off a pass from Bennett following an Ottawa turnover in its own zone.