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.<\/p>\n
Yet thanks to a pair of beautiful goals from Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers took a two-goal lead into the second period.<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
The fun certainly did not last for the Panthers.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The Panthers have lost five of seven going into Sunday\u2019s matinee at the Garden against the Rangers.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
Florida was outshot 22-5 in the second.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
By the time Daniil Tarasov was pulled with a little over 5 minutes left, the Islanders had offered up 40 shots.<\/p>\n
HOW THEY SCORED<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Panthers 2, Islanders 1 (5:28 2nd): A shot from Marc Gatcomb clips the stick of Donovan Sebrango and past Daniil Tarasov.<\/p>\n
Islanders 2, Panthers 2 (12:09 2nd): Brayden Schenn scores on a breakaway.<\/p>\n
Islanders 3, Panthers 2 (4:52 2nd PP): Simon Holmstrom scores from the point.<\/p>\n
Islanders 4, Panthers 2 (17:00 2nd): Emil Heineman gets a one-timer from the right circle.<\/p>\n
Islanders 5, Panthers 2 (17:57 2nd): Casey Cizikas gets his own rebound in the slot.<\/p>\n
FHN\u2019S 3 STARS<\/p>\n
1. Brayden Schenn, Islanders<\/p>\n
2. Matthew Schaefer, Islanders<\/p>\n
3. Matthew Tkachuk, Panthers<\/p>\n
ON DECK: GAME No. 72FLORIDA PANTHERS at NEW YORK RANGERS\u00a0<\/p>\n
Where: Madison Square Garden, NYC<\/p>\n
Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM<\/p>\n
Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 931 or 932, NHL App<\/p>\n
Last Season vs. Rangers: Panthers Won 2-1<\/p>\n
Postseason History: Rangers won 4-1 (1997, 1st round); Panthers won 4-2 (2024 ECF)<\/p>\n
Up Next for the Panthers: Sunday vs. Colorado Avalanche, 5 p.m.<\/p>\n