Barzal lifts Islanders in shootout
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Rookie Mathew Barzal got the only goal in a three-round shootout to lead the New York Islanders to a 5-4 win over the Florida Panthers on Monday night at the BB&T Center.
Barzal converted on his first career shootout attempt for the Islanders, who entered Monday with the highest-scoring offense in the NHL at 3.72 goals per game. New York took advantage of an injury to opposing goalie Roberto Luongo, who left with an injury.
The Islanders, who have scored five or more goals 13 times in 26 games, provided great offensive support for goalie Jaroslav Halak (39 saves).
New York (16-8-2) also got goals from Anders Lee, Thomas Hickey, Brock Nelson and John Tavares. Lee's goal was No. 100 in his career.
Luongo, fourth in NHL history with 459 wins, was removed from the game with 17:29 left in the second period. He appeared to injure his right leg while making a kick save on a shot by Ryan Pulock.
Backup James Reimer replaced Luongo, who had allowed just 18 goals in his past nine games. Reimer, who inherited a 1-1 score, stopped 16 of 19 shots in taking the loss.
The Panthers (10-13-4) got goals from Keith Yandle, Aaron Ekblad, Aleksander Barkov and Denis Malgin.
Florida opened the scoring with 10:25 elapsed in the first period. Yandle pounced on a loose puck, unleashing a shot from the point that beat Halak glove-side.
The Islanders tied the score three minutes later. Lee grabbed a rebound off the end boards and beat Luongo between his pads.
There were five goals scored in the frantic third period.
Reimer had only been in for three minutes when he allowed a soft goal by Hickey, who shot the puck from the side boards. Reimer fought the fluttering puck and managed to block it before accidentally kicking it into his own goal with his right leg.
The Panthers surged back with their power play. After failing to score with a two-man advantage, Florida, still on a 5-on-4 power play, got a goal by Ekblad, who used a Jonathan Huberdeau screen to tie the score 2-2.
Barkov's power-play goal gave the Panthers a 3-2 lead, but New York closed the period with the goals by Nelson and Tavares, which came just two minutes apart.
Florida tied the score 4-4 with 5:06 expired in the third period. Vinny Trocheck won a puck battle along the end boards and passed the puck to Malgin, who scored from the slot.
NOTES: Islanders C Casey Cizikas (four goals, four assists) missed his third straight game due to a lower-body injury. ... Florida moved RW Nick Bjugstad to the top line, along with C Aleksander Barkov and LW Jonathan Huberdeau. Bjugstad replaces Evgenii Dadonov (shoulder), who is out at least four weeks. ... Panthers RW Denis Malgin, who played on the top line for the first two games after Dadonov was injured, has been moved to the second unit with C Vincent Trocheck and LW Jamie McGinn. ... Florida scratched LW Henrik Haapala, LW Dryden Hunt and D MacKenzie Weegar. ... The Islanders scratched D Dennis Seidenberg and D Scott Mayfield.