Islanders score 5 goals in second period to defeat Panthers
The Islanders celebrate Brayden Schenn's second-period goal against the Florida Panthers at UBS Arena on Saturday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Brayden Schenn’s goal and two assists, Matthew Schaefer’s two assists and the fourth line’s two goals fueled a five-goal second period as the Islanders rallied for a 5-2 win over the Panthers on Saturday afternoon at UBS Arena to bolster their playoff chances.
Ilya Sorokin made 18 saves for the Islanders (42-27-5), who have won two straight and are 3-1-0 on a five-game homestand that concludes on Monday night against the Metropolitan Division rival Penguins.
The five goals set a season high for a period as the Islanders held a 24-5 shot advantage in the middle frame. Schaefer tied Stefan Persson’s team record for rookie defensemen with his 56th point.
Fourth-liner Marc Gatcomb brought the Islanders within 2-1 with a shot that trickled past Daniil Tarasov (35 saves) at 5:28 of the second period. Schenn tied it at 12:09 and Simon Holmstrom’s power-play goal at 14:52 put the Islanders ahead 3-2. Emil Heineman, at 17:00, and fourth-liner Casey Cizikas, at 17:57, made it a three-goal advantage.
The Islanders started tentatively, giving up too many rushes and not getting enough traffic to the Panthers’ crease.
Matthew Tkachuk scored twice in the first period for the injury-plagued Panthers. He lifted a backhander at 8:06 after getting sprung up ice by defenseman Seth Jones, then collected a loose puck after Ondrej Palat collided with defenseman Scott Mayfield deep in the Islanders’ zone and went between his legs to beat Sorokin at 14:03.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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