Karlsson, Senators beat Panthers 3-1 to open 3-0

[January 25, 2013]  SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) -- Erik Karlsson scored the go-ahead goal midway through the second period and the Ottawa Senators won their third straight game to start the season, beating the Florida Panthers 3-1 on Thursday night.

Chris Phillips also scored for Ottawa, and Craig Anderson made 25 saves. Jason Spezza added an empty-net goal with 1:16 remaining.

Tomas Fleischmann scored and Jose Theodore stopped 34 of 36 shots for Florida. The defending Southeast Division champions fell to 1-3.

Ottawa has won 11 of the last 12 meetings between the teams.

Theodore stopped Guillaume Latendresse on a penalty shot with 9:11 left in the third period. Brian Campbell was called for hooking Latendresse as the Senators player skated in on goal.

Karlsson scored his second goal to give Ottawa the lead 8:28 into the second period. He intercepted Shawn Matthias' cross-ice pass in the neutral zone, skated in on the left side and wristed a right-handed shot past Theodore high to the stick side.

Fleischmann and Phillips both scored power-play goals to leave the score tied at 1 after one period.

NOTES: Florida C Stephen Weiss (lower body) did not dress. . Ottawa concludes its two-game road trip in Florida at Tampa Bay on Friday night. The Senators then have a three-game homestand (Pittsburgh, Washington, Montreal). ... Philadelphia visits Florida on Saturday night. . The Panthers' only win in their last 12 games against Ottawa came at home on March 4, 2012.

[Associated Press]

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