RECAP: Lomberg nets game-winning tally as Panthers top Islanders

SUNRISE, Fla. - The Florida Panthers are getting used to playing tight games.
Winning their third one-goal game of the season, Ryan Lomberg scored in the third period to help lead the Panthers to a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders at FLA Live Arena on Sunday.
Improving to 4-1-1, Florida currently sits in second place in the Atlantic Division.

"It was huge for us," Lomberg said. "Kind of the mentality all preseason and season has been that we want to be a playoff team and play the right way all season long so we don't have to change a thing when we get there. I think the boys did a great job in the third closing it out."
Strong on the forecheck, Anton Lundell broke the ice early for the Panthers. After picking Adam Pelech's pocket along the end boards, he ripped a shot from a sharp angle that managed to just squeak through Semyon Varlamov's pads to make it 1-0 a mere 39 seconds into the first period.
"It's not easy to score [in the NHL]," Lundell said. "Sometimes you have to really work hard and just trust that the way you're playing, the goals will come. It's not like you will score five goals in a game. It'll come when you play good enough and earn the bounces."

Doubling the lead before the midway point of the opening period, the third line added another goal when Eetu Luostarinen, after finding some time and space in the left circle, flicked a shot on net that clipped off a defender's skate before floating past Varlamov to make it 2-0 at 9:13.
"Today it felt good," Lundell said of his productive line. "First shift, first goal, so that helps a lot. Overall, I felt like we played even better than last game. The more we play together, the better it feels. We just need to build our chemistry as a line together."
After the Panthers were whistled for a double-minor, high-sticking penalty early in the second period, the Islanders made them pay on the ensuing power play. Digging his skates into the top of the blue paint, Anders Lee, who has done a lot of damage from that area during his career, re-directed a shot from Mathew Barzal past Spencer Knight to cut New York's deficit to 2-1 at 4:27.
With the goals continuing to come from the bottom-six, Lomberg extended Florida's lead to 3-1 when he dropped to one knee and forcefully blasted a dribbling puck under Varlamov's blocker and into the back of the net from the center of the left circle at 2:56 of the third period.
"The boys did a great job being where they had to be on the forecheck," Lomberg said. "The puck just kind of bounced to me, and I just put it away."
On a 5-on-3 power play, the Islanders made it a one-goal game once again when Lee, right around the crease as always, backhanded a rebound past Knight to make it 3-2 at 9:07.
Shutting the door from there, Knight finished with 23 saves.
"It's a tired team, but a veteran team," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said of the Islanders, who played at Tampa Bay on Saturday. "With that, you know the first period is the place you've got to jump on them and then hopefully break something loose. We did a pretty good job with that.
"After the first period, you know it's going to be a much different game, kind of a grinding game. Pretty good. You're going to want to put some pucks in the net on some of the chances that you had, and it was tighter, but these are really important games for us to go through."

KEY QUOTES

"I honestly couldn't even hear it. I was just so excited cellying." - Lomberg on his goal song.
"We have a good group. Anybody can score - the D, the forwards. We just need to keep going. We have four good lines. When we play the right way, the goals will come." - Lundell on Florida's scoring depth.
"It's just one of those things where we just tried to hit the ground running and play our game. We've played a lot of close games. I think it's a testament to our character and the guys in the room. We stick to the game plan. Everyone's playing for the team and not playing for themselves." - Knight on the Panthers starting the season 4-1-1.

CATS NOTES

• Lundell's goal was the third-fastest goal to be scored in an NHL game so far this season.
  - Knight recorded his 25th career win in his 38th game for the Panthers.
  - Matthew Tkachuk recorded a team-high five shots on goal.
  - Four different Panthers defensemen skated over 20 minutes.
  - Sam Bennett racked up a team-leading three hits.
  - Luostarinen was on the ice for all three of Florida's goals.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Panthers (4-1-1) will pack their bags and hit the road for a two-game trip that begins with a matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks (3-2-0) at United Center on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.