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Mike Condon makes 24 saves, Ottawa scores early to blank Florida 2-0

Dec 3, 2016 | 7:15 PM

OTTAWA — A solid performance from their goaltender and a quick burst of offence was all the Ottawa Senators needed on Saturday. 

Erik Karlsson and Derick Brassard scored 19 seconds apart in the first period while Mike Condon made 24 saves for his second shutout of the season as the Senators defeated the Florida Panthers 2-0.

“We came out to play right from the start and it translated into the whole game. We had great goaltending and that kept us in the game,” Karlsson said.

“We battled hard all game and they made it hard for us. They showed they are a good team and created their fair share of scoring chances, but Condon played great for us.”

The win snapped a two-game losing skid for the Senators (15-8-2) while the Panthers (12-11-2) dropped their third decision in their past four games.

Roberto Luongo made 19 saves, just five in the third period, in a losing effort. The Senators did have two breakaways in the final five minutes but didn’t register a shot on goal.

“It’s a tough one to swallow. They had a good start and sometimes you have to weather the storm throughout courses of games and they did a good job in the first 10 or 12 minutes. If you look at the second period we were better.” Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle said.

“I thought there were stretches where we were good offensively and sometimes you run into a hot goalie. For most of the game we did the right thing and they got a couple of early goals.”

Both of Ottawa’s goals required some fancy foot work.

On the first goal Karlsson had a pass from behind the net bounce off his stick right to his left foot. He then kicked the puck back to his stick and beat Luongo from the top of the crease at 6:46.

Brassard then took a pass at the side of the net and kicked the puck to his stick before cutting around a fallen Luongo to score at 7:05.

As for the Panthers, they managed just one shot on goal through the first 14 minutes of the game.

“The goalie is only as good as his defence and the defence was very good,” Condon said.

“It comes down to team defence and guys buying in. Tonight that was a good example with just 24 shots and not many Grade-A chances against, which makes it very manageable.”

The two goals by Ottawa was it for scoring despite power-play opportunities on each side. The Senators had the first four power plays of the game but all they could create was one shot on goal.

The Panthers had two power plays, including a five-on-three for 83 seconds in the second period, and had several good scoring chances and five shots, but could get nothing past Condon. Condon also stopped Vincent Trocheck on a breakaway earlier in the period.

The Senators went 0 for 7 on the power play and managed just six shots while the Panthers went 0 for 4.

Notes: Marc Methot and Craig Anderson were scratches for the Senators. Dylan McIlrath and Kyle Rau were scratches for the Panthers…Senators defenceman Andreas Englund made his NHL debut Saturday…Panthers defenceman Jakub Kindl played in his 300th game Saturday…The Senators now head out on a four-game road trip starting with Monday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins…Saturday was the fourth game in a season long six-game road trip for the Panthers spanning 10 days. They play the Bruins in Boston Monday.

Darren Desaulniers, The Canadian Press