Islanders at Panthers
The Florida Panthers have won back-to-back contests for the first time this season and look to extend the streak when they continue a three-game homestand against the New York Islanders on Saturday night. The Panthers knocked off Winnipeg 4-2 in Helsinki, Finland, on Nov. 2 before registering a 4-1 victory over Edmonton on Thursday after the long trip home.
“We’ve had a lot of time off,” Florida goalie Roberto Luongo told reporters after notching his second straight win since returning from a knee injury. “It’s nice to get a little bit of a roll here. Like I said after (the) last game, we’ve got to make it happen on the ice. It’s not just going to happen.” The Panthers have won three straight meetings - including a 3-2 overtime victory in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Oct. 24 - and improved to 1-2-1 on home ice this season with Thursday’s triumph. The Islanders coughed up leads to lose their last two contests after a 4-3 shootout setback against Montreal on Monday and a 4-2 defeat Thursday at Tampa Bay. New York coach Barry Trotz called Monday’s loss the worst game of the season, but told reporters Thursday: “I thought we played real hard, I liked most of our game. Other than maybe about the first 10 minutes of the second period, I thought we played a really good game in a lot of areas against a really good team.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New York), FS Florida
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (8-5-2): Josh Bailey saw his eight-game point streak come to an end Monday, but responded with a pair of goals Thursday to extend his lead on the team with 17 points. Calder Trophy winner Mathew Barzal, who along with defenseman Ryan Pulock are slated to play their 100th NHL game Saturday, had an assist in Tampa Bay to tie captain Anders Lee for second with 13 points. Robin Lehner took the loss in net Thursday and Thomas Greiss (4-2-1, 1.98 goals-against average, .940 save percentage) has allowed six goals in his last four starts.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (4-5-3): Left wing Mike Hoffman became the fourth Florida player with at least a 10-game point streak after posting two assists Thursday, joining Hall of Famer Pavel Bure along with Olli Jokinen and Jussi Jokinen. “I’m trying to help this team win as many games as possible,” Hoffman told reporters. “You get a couple of lucky bounces for a few points over a streak like that. You need it for it to happen.” Right wing Evgenii Dadonov has goals in three straight contests and boasts a nine-game point streak to lead the team with seven tallies and 14 points.
OVERTIME
1. Barzal needs two points to become the third Islander -- joining Hall of Famers Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier -- to reach 100 in the first 100 games.
2. Florida LW Jonathan Huberdeau scored his 98th career goal Thursday, moving him into 10th in franchise history.
3. New York Cs Valtteri Filppula (298 assists) and Brock Nelson (198 points) are approaching milestones.