Panthers surrender another late 2-goal lead, lose on Long Island 4-2
Mar 16, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Vitek Vanecek (41) makes a save on a shot on goal attempt in the second period against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena. (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)
For the second time in a week, the Florida Panthers saw a third period two-goal lead slip through their fingertips.
This time it was Sunday night, with Florida playing on the second night of a back-to-back and facing a desperate New York Islanders team trying to keep pace in a packed Wild Card race.
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Holding a 2-0 lead entering the final frame, the Panthers couldn't find their usual, aggressive form until it was too late, losing on Long Island 4-2.
If the Panthers weren't happy with their performance on Saturday night, it sure didn't show during the first period on Long Island.
Florida was lucky to get out scoreless after being outshot 12-1 in the opening frame, putting up only eight shot attempts and giving up a pair of power play opportunities.
An early shift in the second period by the Cats' top line would lead to the game's opening goal.
Standing at the side of the goal crease, Sam Reinhart first deflected a point shot by Gus Forsling before jumping on a quick pass by Sasha Barkov at the one-minute mark of the middle frame.
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Exactly 3:48 later, Reinhart fired a shot from the right half wall that deflected off the backside of Barkov and up and over the shoulder of Ilya Sorokin to give Florida a sudden 2-0 lead.
The Islanders finally got a puck past Vitek Vanecek, and it came immediately after he made his latest impressive save.
Sliding to his left, Vanecek got his leg pad on a shot by Marc Gatcomb, but the feisty forward picked up the rebound and skated behind the net, wrapping the puck inside the far post to cur Florida's lead to 2-1 with 13:31 to go.
The Islanders continued to put the pressure on, and eventually Mike Reilly found Maxim Tsyplakov behind the Cats defense and he beat Vanecek five hole to tie the game.
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Just 17 seconds later, Noah Dobson picked up the puck in the neutral zone and quickly beat Seth Jones to the net, firing the puck over Vanecek's glove.
Just like that, not only was Florida's lead gone but they were also losing the game.
A couple big saves by Sorokin down the stretch pushed the Islanders over the finish line, as the puck dribbled across Florida's vacated goal line with six seconds to go.
On to Columbus.
QUICK THOUGHTS
Barkov's assist on Reinhart's goal was his first point in four games.
Reinhart has logged eight points over his past six games, but he's scored only two goals in a 14-game span.
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Vanecek stopped the first 47 shots he saw as a Panther, a shutout streak that lasted 106 minutes and 29 seconds.
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