Panthers shut out Senators, clinch Presidents' Trophy

OTTAWA -- The Florida Panthers won the Presidents' Trophy, awarded to the NHL team with the best record in the regular season, after defeating the Ottawa Senators 4-0 at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday.

The Panthers clinched the No. 1 seed for the Stanley Cup Playoffs later Thursday when the Colorado Avalanche, the top team in the Western Conference, lost in a shootout to the Nashville Predators 5-4 at home.
"I think the depth of our team has been on display every night, all year," Florida coach Andrew Brunette said. "And tonight was no different. Regardless of whoever plays, we compete. And we play hard and we do the right things, we play the right way and we buy into what we're trying to do."
Spencer Knight made 27 saves for his second NHL shutout.
"He was solid the whole game," Brunette said of Knight. "I'm proud of our group that we buckled down and kind of had a bit of a checking mentality where we didn't give up a whole lot in the third period to make sure we got him the shutout. Because I think we get a little loosey-goosey when we get up four [goals]. Sometimes we're trying to make it five instead of just shutting it down at four. Guys did that tonight, and I think going forward for Spencer, to get that shutout in his last start ... it's great for him."

Carter Verhaeghe scored twice, and Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers (58-17-6), who are 14-2-0 in their past 16 games. Florida leads the NHL with 122 points and 58 wins with one game left in the regular season, at the Montreal Canadiens on Friday.
"I think you're just trying to find your game and make it sharp, make all the details sharp," Verhaeghe said. "Kind of getting to know the systems, be solid with the systems. I think everyone's just trying to work on their game and try to get better and get tuned up for the playoffs."
Filip Gustavsson made 26 saves for the Senators (32-42-7), who had won four straight.
"We weren't very good," Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said. "Tried to score off the rush, turned pucks over, got beat. We just weren't very good."
Reinhart gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead at 6:01 of the first period when he beat Forsberg glove side with a wrist shot from the slot. It was Reinhart's fifth goal in as many games.

Bennett made it 2-0 at 1:11 of the third period when he tapped in an Anthony Duclair rebound.
"[Bennett] brings a lot to the table," Verhaeghe said. "He has a bit of an edge, he makes big hits, he can score goals. Guys on the other team probably hate playing against him. He can get under your skin. I think that's a huge role to play, especially in a playoff series."
Twenty-one seconds later, Verhaeghe made it 3-0 when he one-timed a pass from Eetu Luostarinen on a 2-on-1.
"I think it kind of deflated [Ottawa] a little bit," Verhaeghe said. "They thought they were still in the game but getting two quick ones like that and making it 3-0 kind of puts it out of reach. I mean, they do play a hard game. Give them credit."

Verhaeghe made it 4-0 at 13:08 when he chipped a rolling puck over Forsberg's glove.
"Certainly, you want to finish better than that," Smith said of the Senators' final home game of the season. "We didn't play by any of the structure that we play with that's allowed us a chance to win every night. No matter how many guys are out, you play with structure and you stay in it. We had a lot of people on their own page and taking long shifts. We've played a lot better hockey."
Florida forwards Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Claude Giroux, and defensemen Gustav Forsling and MacKenzie Weegar were healthy scratches.
"It's as much fun for the guys who sat out to watch other guys have success," Brunette said. "And that's been them all year. They don't care who gets the attention or whoever gets the goals. I think everyone's happy for each other. And I've said this a million times this year: That's what makes this group really special. I've never been around a group that is more happy for whoever gets any kind of credit. They're all excited for him. It was on showcase again tonight."