SUNRISE — After playing in a wild one the day before, things settled down Sunday between the Panthers and Islanders.
Florida scored the first two goals and tacked on a couple more in the third for a 4-1 win.
The Panthers closed out the final game of their longest homestand of the season, going 2-3-1 in the process.
The Islanders had won three straight.
Uvis Balinskis got the Panthers going with a point shot in the first, with Carter Verhaeghe getting his fourth in three games for a 2-0 lead in the second.
Seth Jones and Sam Reinhart scored in the third.
Daniil Tarasov turned in another strong game for the Panthers, stopping 20 shots.
GOALS OF THE GAME
Panthers 1, Islanders 0 (12:14 1st): Uvis Balinskis gets a pass out of the corner from Mackie Samoskevich and sends a shot from the point into traffic — and it finds paydirt for his first goal of the season.
Panthers 2, Islanders 0 (7:05 2nd): Jeff Petry pokes away the puck from New York’s Max Shabanov in the slot and Carter Verhaeghe one-times it for his fourth goal in the past three games.
Panthers 2, Islanders 1 (9:03 2nd): Mathew Barzal shovels a backhander toward the net and it dings in off of the leg of Gus Forsling and under Daniil Tarasov’s leg.
Panthers 3, Islanders 1 (13:57 3rd 4/4): Anton Lundell gets the puck deep in the zone but flies up the ice and creates a rush, sending a pass to the charging Seth Jones who zips it over the outstretched glove of David Rittich.
Panthers 4, Islanders 1 (17:06 3rd EN): Sam Reinhart ends this one with an empty net goals.
FHN’S 3 STARS
1. Carter Verhaeghe, Panthers
2. Daniil Tarasov, Panthers
3. Sam Reinhart, Panthers
ON DECK: GAME No. 29
FLORIDA PANTHERS at UTAH MAMMOTH
