Game Preview: Islanders at Panthers

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (9-7-6) AT FLORIDA PANTHERS (14-7-2)

6 PM ET | AMERANT BANK ARENA

WATCH: MSGSN | MSG+ | ESPN+

LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 1050 AM

The New York Islanders are looking to wrap up their three-game road trip on a winning note, as they take on the Florida Panthers on Saturday at 6 p.m. 

The Islanders grinded out a 5-4 OT win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night, where Mathew Barzal (1G, 3A) stunned the crowd at PNC Arena with the game-winner at the 2:45 mark of the extra frame. Semyon Varlamov needed to make 39 saves in a game where the Islanders were outshot 43-16 and out-attempted 96-40. 

“If you ask anybody around the league, this is one of the hardest buildings to come in and play,” Barzal said on Thursday. “When the crowd gets into it, it’s borderline impossible to change the momentum. But it’s a resilient group. Heck of an effort by the entire group tonight, it feels great to get a win.”

Bo Horvat, Simon Holmstrom (SHG), Pierre Engvall and Kyle Palmieri (PPG) scored in regulation for the Islanders, and Noah Dobson had three assists, while Jalen Chatfield, Jordan Staal, Jack Drury and Sebastian Aho found the back of the net for the Hurricanes. 

The Panthers are coming off a 5-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night. Aleksander Barkov (1G, 1A) scored the game’s only goal through the first two periods, until the Panthers pulled away in the final frame with goals from Sam Bennett (GWG), Evan Rodrigues (1G, 1A), Carter Verhaeghe (1G, 1A) and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Johnathan Kovacevic scored the only goal for Montreal.

The Islanders went 1-2-0 against the Panthers through three meetings last season.

ISLANDERS NOTES

- Mat Barzal became the third player in Islanders history to record at least four points including an overtime winner in a game. He joins exclusive company in Pierre Turgeon and Ray Ferraro, who accomplished the feat on Feb. 2, 1995 and Feb. 28, 1993 respectively. Barzal leads the team with 23 points (7G, 16A) and is riding an eight-game road point streak with 15 points (5G, 10A) over that span.

- With a shorthanded tally on Thursday, Holmstrom captured the league lead in shorthanded goals (3). His six goals this season through 21 games matches his goal total last season in his rookie year through 51 games. Holmstrom is also the only player in the league with at least six goals and no assists.

- Noah Dobson had a three-point night on Thursday, notching three assists in the 5-4 OT winner including the primary assist on Barzal’s overtime tally. He ties Barzal for the team lead in assists (16).

Per Islanders team statistician Eric Hornick, Noah Dobson is the first Islander defenseman since Denis Potvin (1986-87) to have 21 points or more in the first 22 games. Potvin is the only blueliner in franchise history with more points through the team’s first 22 games.

Dobson has five career points (1G, 4A) in seven career games against the Panthers, with his lone goal coming on Opening Night of the 2022-23 season.

- The Islanders’ power play (22.6%) ranks ninth in the NHL and has scored in six straight road games. Although the penalty kill (71.8%) is lackluster overall to sit in second-last in the league, the Islanders went a perfect 3-for-3 against the Hurricanes on Thursday.

PANTHERS NOTES

- The Panthers are back home in Florida after completing a successful three-game road trip where they went 2-0-1.

- Sam Reinhart leads the team in points (28) and goals (15) in his third season with Florida. His 15 goals are good for second in the NHL, tying the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov.

- Aleksander Barkov is the team leader with 15 assists and collected five points (1G, 4A) in his last three contests.

- Sergei Bobrovsky sports a record of 11-6-1 in his fifth season with the Cats. He led all goaltenders in wins (8) for the month of November.

- Anthony Stolarz inked a one-year deal over the offseason and is providing solid goaltending for the Panthers. The 29-year-old has a record of 3-1-1 and a .925 SV% through five starts.

- Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour each missed the first 16 games of the season in recovery from surgeries in the offseason. Both defensemen made their return in the form of a season debut on Nov. 17 and have one point (1A) each through seven games.

- The Panthers rank fourth in the league with 2.48 goals allowed per game.