Islanders Beat Panthers 4-3 SUNRISE, FL -- Without Mathew Barzal due to illness, the New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/game-day/new-york-islanders-fans-support-palmieri-dobson-nelson-lee-drive-4-five-islanders-meetups] defeated the Florida Panthers 4-3 on Saturday night at Amerant Bank Arena. Nine seconds into their first power play of the game, Anders Lee scored his fifth of the season from the top of the crease after redirecting a Kyle Palmieri ice-level shot at 12:35 of the first. Brock Nelson earned the secondary assist. Just 1:06 later, the Panthers scored on a broken play as after Evan Rodrigues whiffed from the low slot, Sam Reinhart scored from the back post at 13:41 of the first. The Islanders reclaimed the lead at 4:37 of the second period as Pierre Engvall buried his third of the season on a rebound after Alexander Romanov's shot deflected on its way toward a goal, disallowing Anthony Stolarz from controlling the rebound. Nelson notched the secondary assist. Simon Holmstrom's seventh of the season extended the Islanders lead to 3-1 at 9:11 of the second, burying a rebound after a Julien Gauthier shot from inside the left circle. Holmstrom now has seven goals on the season, surpassing his career-high (six) from a season ago in 49 fewer games. Horvat notched the secondary assist, extending his point streak to three games. Matthew Tkachuk got Florida within one, 3-2, sniping Ilya Sorokin blocker side from the right circle at 13:14 of the second. Nelson missed the final 5:19 of the second period after this collision: He did return for the start of the third period. Gauthier scored his first goal as an Islander, sniping Stolarz glove side after Horvat beat Steven Lorentz on the offensive-zone draw for his second assist of the game at 3:43 of the third to give New York a 4-2 lead. Verhaeghe got the Panthers within one, 4-3, as he pounced on a loose puck in the low slot at 9:35 of the third. Sorokin, who was brilliant, making 42 saves, including a blocker save late along with squaring up to a shot at the buzzer for the win. Matthew Barzal missed the game due to illness. UP NEXT: The Islanders host the San Jose Sharks Tuesday night at 7:30 PM ET. LINES: Anders Lee - Bo Horvat - Mathew Barzal Pierre Engvall - Brock Nelson - Kyle Palmieri Simon Holmstrom - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Oliver Wahlstrom Julien Gauthier - Casey Cizikas - Cal Clutterbuck Alex Romanov - Noah Dobson Samuel Bolduc - Ryan Pulock Mike Reilly - Scott Mayfield Ilya Sorokin Semyon Varlamov
