The Florida Panthers rolled out a lineup Saturday afternoon against the New York Islanders that many would have found farfetched on Opening Night back in October.

Yet thanks to a pair of beautiful goals from Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers took a two-goal lead into the second period.

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The fun certainly did not last for the Panthers.

The Islanders scored five in the second and rolled to a 5-2 win to keep pace in the Eastern Conference/Metropolitan Division playoff race.

The Panthers have lost five of seven going into Sunday’s matinee at the Garden against the Rangers.

Tkachuk scored a pair of real pretty goals which gave the Panthers a pretty nice opening period despite having even more regulars out of the lineup including Sam Bennett and Evan Rodrigues.

In the second, however, the Islanders went to work and made the Panthers and Daniil Tarasov pay scoring five goals off 22 shots in the period.

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Florida was outshot 22-5 in the second.

Brayden Schenn, who scored to tie it at 2, had a goal and two assists in the second period. Rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer had two assists in the second.

By the time Daniil Tarasov was pulled with a little over 5 minutes left, the Islanders had offered up 40 shots.

HOW THEY SCORED

Panthers 1, Islanders 0 (8:06 1st): Matthew Tkachuk was back by the blueline when he got a clearing pass, walked in, and beat Ilya Sorokin with a backhander.

Panthers 2, Islanders o (14:03 1st): Tkachuk scores on a highlight-reel goal, charging in through the slot and beating Sorokin with a shot that he went between the skates and flipped in.

Panthers 2, Islanders 1 (5:28 2nd): A shot from Marc Gatcomb clips the stick of Donovan Sebrango and past Daniil Tarasov.

Islanders 2, Panthers 2 (12:09 2nd): Brayden Schenn scores on a breakaway.

Islanders 3, Panthers 2 (4:52 2nd PP): Simon Holmstrom scores from the point.

Islanders 4, Panthers 2 (17:00 2nd): Emil Heineman gets a one-timer from the right circle.

Islanders 5, Panthers 2 (17:57 2nd): Casey Cizikas gets his own rebound in the slot.

FHN’S 3 STARS

1. Brayden Schenn, Islanders

2. Matthew Schaefer, Islanders

3. Matthew Tkachuk, Panthers

ON DECK: GAME No. 72FLORIDA PANTHERS at NEW YORK RANGERS 

Where: Madison Square Garden, NYC

Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM

Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 931 or 932, NHL App

Last Season vs. Rangers: Panthers Won 2-1

Postseason History: Rangers won 4-1 (1997, 1st round); Panthers won 4-2 (2024 ECF)

Up Next for the Panthers: Sunday vs. Colorado Avalanche, 5 p.m.

This article: Run, Over: Islanders Have Big Period, Steamroll Florida Panthers originally appeared on Florida Hockey Now.