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(Sports Network) - The improving Florida Panthers will attempt to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Ottawa Senators when the teams get together tonight at the BankAtlantic Center.

Ottawa has won all three previous meetings between the clubs in 2006-07 and has shut out the Panthers in each of the last two matchups. In the lone encounter that took place in Florida, the Senators came away with a 6-4 victory back in November. The win was Ottawa's ninth in its 10 most recent trips to the BankAtlantic Center.

Both teams have been playing well leading up to tonight's tilt. Ottawa comes in having won four of its last five games, while Florida has made a belated playoff push by compiling a 8-3-0 record since February 24.

The Panthers are still facing an uphill climb in regards to making the postseason, however. Florida stands in 12th place in the Eastern Conference at the moment and is five points behind Carolina, Montreal and Toronto, the teams currently tied for the eighth and final playoff spot.

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