Panthers score 6 straight, surge past Islanders

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Matthew Tkachuk had two goals and an assist, and the Florida Panthers scored six consecutive goals to rally for a 6-3 win against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on Saturday.

Mackie Samoskevich scored his first NHL goal, Anton Lundell had two assists, and Spencer Knight made 25 saves for the Panthers (6-3-1), who have won three of four.

They trailed 3-0 less than 12 minutes into the game.

“I think we just started really slow,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “I thought we moved the puck slowly, and then when we stopped trying to possess the puck on every change of possession, we got faster. … It was just a slash out on the first goal. Just get it out, get it in, and get it to the net. So I thought we sped up with the puck.”

Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist, and Maxim Tsyplakov had two assists for the Islanders (3-3-2), who won 4-3 in overtime at the New Jersey Devils on Friday. Semyon Varlamov made 22 saves.

“Nothing changed,” New York coach Patrick Roy said. “We knew it'd be a 60-minute game. I mean, come on. These guys won the Stanley Cup (last season). They’re a good team. They're a special team. They know how to win. They know how to come back.”

Sam Bennett gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead at 6:19 of the third period. After Tkachuk’s shot from the left boards bounced off Varlamov’s stick, it deflected in off Bennett’s leg in the crease.

Tkachuk then scored his second of the game to make it 5-3 at 9:49. He beat Varlamov with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle on the power play.

Gustav Forsling scored a short-handed empty-net goal from deep in his own zone at 17:43 for the 6-3 final.

“We have to address [the blown leads] as a group,” Islanders forward Casey Cizikas said. “That's something that starts in here and it starts with, first off, a conversation, and going over where those mistakes are and what we can do better. But it's something that we’ve got to figure out.”

Dennis Cholowski gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 1:32 of the first period when his wrist shot from the left point beat Knight blocker side through a screen. It was Cholowski’s first goal since April 24, 2021, with the Detroit Red Wings.

Palmieri pushed the lead to 2-0 at 6:01, scoring five-hole by poking in the rebound of his own deflection at the right post.

Brock Nelson made it 3-0 at 11:41. Tsyplakov’s wrist shot from the slot missed the net and caromed off the end boards to Nelson at the right post, where he banked the puck in off Knight.

Sam Reinhart got the Panthers within 3-1 at 13:27, beating Varlamov glove side on a breakaway.

“That goal was huge, just to try to get some spark and some momentum back our way,” Tkachuk said. “And we actually felt good going into the second that we were going to be able to change it and play the exact opposite of how we did in the first. And I felt that we did.”

Tkachuk made it 3-2 at 6:38 of the second period. After the Islanders failed to clear the zone, Carter Verhaeghe hit the left post with a shot, and the rebound landed between Varlamov’s legs before Tkachuk reached behind the goalie to knock in the puck.

Samoskevich tied it 3-3 at 18:16 on a wraparound at the left post. He was playing his 17th NHL game and had his family in attendance.

“It means the world. They’ve sacrificed so much for me,” Samoskevich said. “You remember so much, so many memories of them driving to the rink and stuff, and it all leads up to this and it feels a lot better that they're in the building. Just wanted to save it for them.”

NOTES: Bennett has scored one goal in four straight games. … Palmieri scored his 250th NHL goal. … Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov (upper body) did not play and is day to day. … New York forward Matt Martin was minus-1 with one shot on goal in 9:45 of ice time in his season debut. The 35-year-old signed a one-year contract earlier Saturday after attending training camp on a professional tryout. ... Cholowski also made his season debut.