Backup goalie Spencer Knight made 23 saves for his second win in as many tries this season, leading the host Florida Panthers to a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders on Sunday night at Sunrise, Fla.
The Panthers, who also beat the Islanders on opening night, got goals from Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Ryan Lomberg.
Anders Lee scored two power-play goals for the Islanders, and both of them came on rebounds. Mathew Barzal picked up two assists for the Islanders, who also got 29 saves from backup goalie Semyon Varlamov.
Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk had his five-game points streak snapped. He started the streak in his Panthers debut against the Islanders.
Florida opened the scoring with just 39 seconds gone in the first period. Lundell made a great individual effort, stealing the puck from Adam Pelech against the boards behind the net. Lundell then scored on a wide-angle shot, banging the puck in off Varlamov’s stick.
The Panthers made it 2-0 with 9:13 expired in the first on another tough play for the Islanders. Luostarinen shot the puck, which struck Noah Dobson in the neck. Play continued, and Luostarinen picked up the loose puck and shot it past Varlamov, just inside the left post. The puck bounced in off the stick of Islanders defenseman Sebastian Aho.
Dobson was able to return for the Islanders later in the period.
In the second period, Panthers defenseman Matt Kiersted was assessed a double-minor when his stick caught Matt Martin, causing a bloody face.
The Islanders cashed in with Lee’s power-play goal with 4:27 gone in the second. Knight blocked the original shot by Barzal but the rebound went high and behind Knight, and Lee was able to shove the puck into the net.
Florida extended its lead to 3-1 on Lomberg’s goal with 17:04 left in the third. The play was started with a shot by Kiersted that was blocked into the left corner. Colin White retrieved the puck and tossed it into the left circle, where Lomberg fired and scored, beating Varmalov to his blocker side.
Lee’s second rebound goal — this one with 10:53 left — cut New York’s deficit to 3-2. However, the Islanders couldn’t get the equalizer.
–Field Level Media
