Game Recap: Panthers 4, Islanders 2

After recording points in seven straight games, the New York Islanders have suffered back-to-back regulation losses after falling 4-2 to the Florida Panthers on Saturday night.
Mathew Barzal and Brock Nelson had the Islanders ahead 2-1 in the second period, but the Panthers responded with three goals in the final 21 minutes of the contest to upend the Isles.
"It's one of those games where l've kind of let it slip again and that's what makes it frustrating," captain Anders Lee said. "Right now we're facing a little bit of a tough stretch."

Saturday marked the second time the Islanders had given up a lead against the Panthers this season. Mike Hoffman's goal - a toss into the slot that caromed off Ryan Pulock's skate - in the final minute of the second period locked the teams in a 2-2 tie heading into the third.
Aleksander Barkov's 4-on-3 power-play goal put the Panthers ahead 3-2 and from there, Florida clamped down, largely keeping the Islanders to the perimeter. Of the Islanders' 31 shots, only five game in the final frame.
"We really couldn't generate a whole lot after they scored the third goal," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "We didn't get pucks to the areas that we did in the first two periods. We didn't get them deep as much, or get enough on the forecheck when we needed too. We were sort of a little one-and-done."

Lee had the Isles best chances to tie it late, deflecting a shot before sweeping a rebound into Roberto Luongo (29 saves), but that's as close as they'd come. Troy Brouwer iced the game with an empty-netter. Robin Lehner made 27 saves in the loss.
The consecutive regulation losses are the Islanders first in 13 games (Oct. 13 and 17) after Thursday's late heartbreaker in Tampa Bay.
"Right now we're getting tested," Trotz said. "We're not getting the breaks we need here and there, so we just have to fight through it."

POWER PLAY COMES UP SHORT:

The Islanders power play went 0-for-4 on Saturday night, going 0-for-9 during the two-game road trip and 1-for-19 in the past five games. Ahead of Saturday's game Trotz shuffled his second unit, putting Valtteri Filppula and Adam Pelech in place of Anthony Beauvillier and Johnny Boychuk.
"We have to get that right," Trotz said of the power play. "We're getting two five-on-five goals a night. If we get another one, we get to three, we're going to win a few games."

BARZAL SCORES IN 100TH GAME:

Mathew Barzal was playing in his 100th career NHL game on Saturday night. Barzal netted his second goal of the season, making a nifty forehand-backhand deke on Roberto Luongo to make it 1-1 at 7:28 of the first. Barzal's goal gives him 99 career points (24G, 75A) in 100 games.

LINE CHANGES:

Trotz revamped three of his four lines heading into Saturday's contest.
The changes included putting Mathew Barzal between Anders Lee and Josh Bailey, which yielded the desired result, as Lee intercepted a Mike Matheson pass and sprung Barzal on a breakaway.
Brock Nelson, who was playing with Jordan Eberle and Tom Kuhnhackl, also found the back of the net, pulling a puck around a sliding Keith Yandle before snapping it blocker side on Luongo at 8:10 of the second period.

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders return home for a three-game homestand starting on Tuesday night when they host the Vancouver Canucks at Barclays Center.