Run, Over: Islanders Have Big Period, Steamroll Florida Panthers
Screenshot The Florida Panthers rolled out a lineup Saturday afternoon against the New York Islanders that many would have found farfetched on Opening Night back in October. Yet thanks to a pair of beautiful goals from Matthew Tkachuk , the Panthers took a two-goal lead into the second period. The fun certainly did not last for the Panthers.
The Islanders scored five in the second and rolled to a 5-2 win to keep pace in the Eastern Conference/Metropolitan Division playoff race. The Panthers have lost five of seven going into Sunday’s matinee at the Garden against the Rangers. Tkachuk scored a pair of real pretty goals which gave the Panthers a pretty nice opening period despite having even more regulars out of the lineup including Sam Bennett and Evan Rodrigues .
In the second, however, the Islanders went to work and made the Panthers and Daniil Tarasov pay scoring five goals off 22 shots in the period. Florida was outshot 22-5 in the second. Brayden Schenn , who scored to tie it at 2, had a goal and two assists in the second period.
Rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer had two assists in the second. By the time Daniil Tarasov was pulled with a little over 5 minutes left, the Islanders had offered up 40 shots. HOW THEY SCORED Panthers 1, Islanders 0 (8:06 1st): Matthew Tkachuk was back by the blueline when he got a clearing pass, walked in, and beat Ilya Sorokin with a backhander.
Panthers 2, Islanders o (14:03 1st): Tkachuk scores on a highlight-reel goal, charging in through the slot and beating Sorokin with a shot that he went between the skates and flipped in. Panthers 2, Islanders 1 (5:28 2nd): A shot from Marc Gatcomb clips the stick of Donovan Sebrango and past Daniil Tarasov. Islanders 2, Panthers 2 (12:09 2nd): Brayden Schenn scores on a breakaway.