Panthers 5, Islanders 1
NEW YORK -- Goalie Roberto Luongo recorded 33 saves, and five players scored a goal apiece for the Florida Panthers, who overcame a slow start Tuesday night to beat the New York Islanders 5-1 at Barclays Center.
Right winger Reilly Smith, center Aleksander Barkov and defenseman Aaron Ekblad scored in the second period for the Panthers (15-12-4), who stopped a four-game skid (1-3-0) and improved to 7-3-0 in their past 10 games.
Center Vincent Trocheck scored 1:23 into the third period, and left winger Jonathan Huberdeau added a short-handed, empty-net goal with 3:43 remaining.
Center Brock Nelson scored in the second for the Islanders, who outshot the Panthers 19-2 in the first period and 34-17 overall but still took their first regulation defeat in 11 games. New York (18-9-5) went 8-0-2 following a 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Nov. 22.
Islanders goalie Jaroslav Halak made 12 saves.
After managing to keep the game scoreless during a first period in which they were under constant attack, the Panthers wasted little time getting on the board in the second.
Smith's goal 1:51 into the period capped the Panthers' first legitimate flurry of the game. A shot by defenseman Erik Gudbranson was deflected by Halak and caromed to defenseman Dylan Olsen, who passed the puck to Smith. His shot from the left faceoff circle sailed past Halak.
The Panthers doubled the lead at 7:25, when Barkov intercepted a pass from behind the Islanders net by center Frans Nielsen and fired a backhanded shot past Halak.
The Islanders finally scored on their 26th shot with 7:23 remaining, when Nelson got his stick on a pass into the crease by defenseman Marek Zidlicky.
But Nelson's goal had not even been announced when the Panthers regained a two-goal lead 20 seconds later. An end-to-end rush by Florida concluded with Ekblad's shot bouncing under Halak's legs.
NOTES: The Panthers scratched C Derek MacKenzie (lower body), RW Jaromir Jagr (flu) and C Corban Knight. The 43-year-old Jagr leads Florida in goals (nine) and points (21). The Islanders are the opponent Jagr has played the most (108 games) as well as the team against whom he has his most goals (61) and points (154). ... The Panthers recalled C Rocco Grimaldi from Portland of the AHL and sent C Dave Bolland to the same affiliate. Bolland has one goal and five points in the second year of a five-year, $27.5 million contract. ... The Islanders scratched RW Steve Bernier, LW Eric Boulton and D Brian Strait. ... C Ryan Strome returned to the lineup for the Islanders after missing Sunday's game with an upper body injury.