With four goals in the third period, the New York Islanders defeated the Florida Panthers 4-2 to snap their three-game losing streak and keep alive playoff hopes.
The big news entering the game was that defenseman Mike Reilly returned for the first game since Nov. 1 following a heart procedure he underwent on Nov. 19.
Reilly replaced Adam Pelech, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot against the Edmonton Oilers on Friday.
Here’s how it happened:
The Islanders earned the first power play of the game at 8:16 when Eetu Luostarinen elbowed Alexander Romanov.
The Islanders were unable to convert, but Romanov was able to return without missing a shift.
After recording 11 of the first 12 shots of the game, the Islanders earned their second power play at 17:26 when Dmitry Kulikov was caught by Anthony Duclair’s speed and took a holding penalty.
Kulikov went to the locker room with an upper-body injury and did not return.
The Islanders could not beat Vitek Vanecek, concluding the period ahead in shots 12-1 yet without a goal.
After getting outplayed in the opening period, the Panthers found the scoresheet first when Aleksander Barkov recovered Gustav Forsling’s rebound and fed Sam Reinhart at 1:00 of the second period.
This was Reinhart’s 33rd goal of the season.
The Islanders went to the penalty kill for the first time at 2:49 when Kyle MacLean tripped Forsling.
The Panthers applied pressure, and with just one second remaining on the man advantage, Barkov tipped Reinhart’s shot which crept past Ilya Sorokin to put the Panthers ahead 2-0. It was Barkov’s 18th goal of the season.
After a strong second half in the period, the Islanders received a too many men on the ice penalty at 19:47.
The Islanders outshot the Panthers 10-9 in the second period.
Patrick Roy’s squad killed the minor penalty to start the third period then went to the power play on a Nate Schmidt hooking call at 2:48, but the score remained.
At 6:29, Marc Gatcomb put the Islanders on the board with a wraparound goal following Vanecek’s sprawling save:
Marc Gatcomb: Keeper. #Islespic.twitter.com/CeCHaCzoD0
— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) March 17, 2025
This was Gactomb’s fourth goal of the season.
The Islanders found the equalizer at 12:16 when Reilly sent a stretch pass to Max Tsyplakov who went five-hole on Vanecek:
Tsyplakov breakaway 🚨beats Vanecek and it’s 2-2 with 7:44 to go in the third. pic.twitter.com/K0F4bDaKv3
— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) March 17, 2025
This was Tsyplakov’s eighth goal of the season.
Just 17 seconds later, the Islanders took the lead for the first time in the game when Noah Dobson flew into the offensive zone and beat Vanecek glove-side:
This was Dobson’s seventh goal of the season.
#Isles take a 3-2 lead 17 seconds later.
Huge comeback.
Noah Dobson showing his skill! pic.twitter.com/2AIZXMTgLw
— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) March 17, 2025
The Panthers pulled Vanecek for an extra attacker in the final minutes, but a Simon Holmstrom empty net goal at 19:53 following multiple sprawling saves by Sorokin secured the comeback victory.
The Islanders are in action again on Tuesday as they face the Penguins in Pittsburgh at 7 PM.
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