NEW YORK — Matthew Tkachuk netted two goals, while Sam Bennett secured the decisive goal during the third period, helping the Florida Panthers make an impressive comeback from a three-goal deficit to defeat the New York Islanders 6-3 on Saturday night.
In addition to Tkachuk and Bennett’s efforts, Sam Reinhart also contributed a goal, Mackie Samoskevich celebrated his inaugural NHL goal, and Gustav Forsling added a short-handed empty-net goal during the final moments of the game, clinching the win for the Panthers. Dmitry Kulikov and Anton Lundell each provided two assists, and goaltender Spencer Knight made 26 saves, marking the Panthers’ second consecutive victory as defending Stanley Cup Champions.
For the Islanders, Dennis Cholowski, Kyle Palmieri, and Brock Nelson found the net in a strong first period, but their defense faltered, allowing Florida to score six unanswered goals. Semyon Varlamov was credited with 22 saves in the contest as the Islanders faced their second loss in three matches.
Despite conceding three goals on the first seven shots he faced, Knight rebounded impressively, blocking the next 22 attempts from the Islanders.
Takeaways from the game reveal that Islanders coach Patrick Roy has struggled to instill a sense of lead protection in the team. This ongoing issue has been evident since Lane Lambert took over coaching duties following the dismissal of Barry Trotz in May 2022. Although New York began the match with three quick goals, they ultimately allowed Florida to dominate the scoreboard.
Bennett continued to shine in the absence of captain Aleksander Barkov, having scored in four consecutive games, including the pivotal go-ahead goal during the third period against the Islanders.
A crucial moment came when Tkachuk discovered a loose puck behind Varlamov and successfully reduced the Islanders’ lead to just one goal. This play shifted the momentum in favor of Florida, allowing them to completely erase the three-goal deficit by the end of the second period.
A significant stat highlights that the Islanders have managed to score at least three goals in five of their eight games this season, yet have faced shutouts in the other three games, demonstrating their inconsistency.
Looking ahead, the Panthers are set to visit Buffalo on Tuesday, while the Islanders will conclude a brief two-game homestand against the Anaheim Ducks.