Butler gives Senators OT win over Panthers

OTTAWA – Bobby Butler scored 2:02 into overtime and the Ottawa Senators beat the Florida Panthers 4-3 Thursday night for their third straight win.

Daniel Alfredsson scored his 399th goal and had two assists for Ottawa, which gave up leads of 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2. Chris Neil and Erik Karlsson each had a goal and an assist, and Craig Anderson made 32 saves.

Tomas Kopecky drew Florida even at 3 when he scored the tying goal with 1:12 left in the third and goalie Scott Clemmensen pulled for an extra attacker. Kris Versteeg passed from behind the net to Kopecky, who beat Anderson from the goalmouth as the Panthers' erased their third one-goal deficit.

Michal Repik and Shawn Matthias also scored for Florida, which lost its second straight.

Alfredsson assisted on Chris Neil's power-play goal in the first. Neil got his second point when he set up Alfredsson's goal with the man advantage 7:38 into the third that put Ottawa ahead 2-1.

Matthias drew Florida even at 2 with the game's fourth straight power-play goal at 9:05.

Karlsson restored Ottawa's lead 38 seconds later when his blast from the right point got past Clemmensen for his fourth goal at 9:43.

Clemmensen, who stopped 22 shots, turned over the puck to Neil behind his net with the teams tied at 1 in the third. The Panthers' goalie scrambled back in front too late to stop Alfredsson from putting home his 10th goal to move within one of becoming Ottawa's first 400-goal scorer.

Ottawa's Nick Foligno was given a major for charging and a game misconduct 3:01 into the second for his hit on Panthers defenseman Keaton Ellerby behind Florida's net.

Repik, who was recalled from San Antonio of the AHL on Wednesday, got credit for his first goal in six games on the ensuing power play. Versteeg's point shot struck Tomas Fleishmann in front of Anderson before deflecting into the net off Repik's skate.

A video review upheld the goal.

No penalty was originally called on Foligno's hit on Ellerby until referees Tim Peel and Justin St. Pierre conferred and ejected Foligno, who appeared to leave his feet only once he made contact.

Ellerby skated off the ice and went directly to the dressing room. He returned shortly after the 5-minute penalty expired.

Florida center Stephen Weiss left the game in the first with an upper-body injury. He did not return.

Neil opened the scoring with his fourth goal 6:58 in when he he deflected Karlsson's point shot past Clemmensen.

Senators right wing Erik Condra stopped the puck from rolling across the goal line with his stick 18:28 into the second after it got behind Anderson.

NOTES: Weiss leads the Panthers with 21 assists. He is second in points with 32. ... Butler served Foligno's major penalty.