Senators beat Panthers 5-1 as Brady Tkachuk scores in return to Ottawa but gets hostile reception

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — With fans chanting “We don’t need you!,” the Ottawa Senators defeated Brady Tkachuk and his Florida Panthers 5-1 on Wednesday night.

Tkachuk, who spent eight seasons in Ottawa, including five as captain, was given a hostile reception in his return. He was booed regularly and the crowd aimed derisive chants at him throughout the evening.

A number of fans even threw Tkachuk jerseys on the ice.

The Senators (7-3-0) lost goaltender Linus Ullmark to an apparent injury early in the third period. Ullmark, who allowed one goal on 18 shots, made a pad save on Tkachuk and then needed assistance getting off the ice.

Sam Ersson faced one shot in relief.

Tim Stutzle, Claude Giroux, Shane Pinto, Warren Foegele and Stephen Halliday scored for Ottawa.

Tkachuk scored the lone goal for the Panthers (5-3-2), who had won three straight. Akira Schmid made 25 saves.

Emotions boiled over in the third. Tkachuk, his brother Matthew and their Panthers teammate Sam Bennett got into it with Senators players in front of Ottawa’s bench. Brady Tkachuk got into a heated exchange with Senators center Dylan Cozens.

Earlier in the period, Bennett fought Ottawa forward Ridly Greig.

Foegele gave the Senators a 4-1 lead by finishing off a great feed from Cozens at the eight-minute mark of the third. Halliday made it 5-1 when he scored off Stutzle's drop pass.

The Senators scored twice in the second. Giroux scored his second goal of the season through traffic from the top of the slot midway through the period.

Pinto made it 3-1 at 17:18.

Despite the hostile environment, Tkachuk seemed unfazed and opened the scoring with a power-play goal midway through the first period on a feed from his brother.

Stutzle tied the game just more than four minutes later with a one-timer off a pass from Jake Sanderson.

Panthers: Play at Pittsburgh on Thursday.

Senators: Host the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Florida Panthers Sam Bennett (9) reaches his hand into the face of Ottawa Senators Ridly Greig (71) in a fight during third period of an NHL hockey game in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (Keito Newman/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators head athletic therapist Domenic Nicoletta, right, attends to goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) during third period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (Keito Newman/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators' Dylan Cozens (24) looks to clear the puck from in front of Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) as Florida Panthers' Lars Eller (20) looks for the rebound during third period of an NHL hockey game in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (Keito Newman/The Canadian Press via AP)

Fans throw a former Ottawa Senators Brady Tkachuk jersey onto the ice during an NHL hockey game between the Florida Panthers and the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (Keito Newman/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers' Brady Tkachuk (8) skates during warmups prior to an NHL hockey game against the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (Keito Newman/The Canadian Press via AP)

Iran's state television reported that seven oil tankers were either struck by attacks or hit naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz overnight Thursday, possibly making this the largest single-day number of vessels damaged in the waterway since the Iran war started on Feb. 28.

Here is the latest news from the Middle East. Read our full coverage here.

Iran’s state television reported that seven oil tankers caught fire and were damaged overnight Thursday after being targeted or striking naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

If verified, it would be the largest single-day number of vessels damaged in the waterway since the start of the Iran war on Feb. 28 when the United States and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran.

Quoting a statement by the Revolutionary Guard's navy, the Iranian report said that four of the tankers were transferring oil when they were targeted and caught fire. Another three were damaged and immobilized when they hit naval mines.

The report didn't provide details about possible casualties or the flags of the tankers.

The report also warned the Revolutionary Guard may target U.S. bases in the region if the U.S. tried to allow oil tankers to transit through other parts of the strait.

The Revolutionary Guard had routinely targeted U.S. bases in Gulf countries during the war.

Yemen’s Defense Ministry said Thursday Houthi rallies and mobilization programs will be considered legitimate military targets and warned residents in Houthi-held areas against taking part.

The announcement was shared in a social media post and is considered a major escalation against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels as well as civilians living in areas under their control.

Deliberate attacks on civilians could amount to a war crime.

Rallies and what Houthis call “cultural courses” are one of the Iranian-backed group’s main tools for mobilization of supporters and fighters.

The Defense Ministry statement said such assemblies are used by the Houthis to mobilize children for combat.

This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.

A displaced Yemeni girl walks at Al-Firdaws 2 camp in Ras Imran, on the western outskirts of Aden, Yemen, Yemen, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdulnasser Alseddik)

Residents walk on their home debris at Seina district in Taiz, Yemen, after a missile strike, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Marzouq Al Jabri)

Residents walk amid debris from their homes after a missile strike in Seina, Taiz, Yemen, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Marzouq Al Jabri)