The New York Islanders erupted for four third-period goals to rally past the Florida Panthers 4-2 on Sunday night, snapping a three-game losing streak in dramatic fashion.
Marc Gatcomb ignited the Islanders’ comeback with his first career NHL goal early in the third period. Maxim Tsyplakov and Noah Dobson followed with goals of their own, and Simon Holmstrom sealed the win with an empty-netter. Anthony DeAngelo provided two assists, while team captain Anders Lee recorded an assist, bringing him to 499 career points.
Goaltender Ilya Sorokin stood tall with 22 saves, including a highlight-reel sequence in the final minute where he lost his blocker but still managed to keep the Panthers from scoring.
Florida looked poised for a season sweep of the Islanders after winning the previous two matchups 6-3. Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov each recorded a goal and an assist, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead heading into the third period. However, the Islanders flipped the script in the final frame, dominating possession and peppering Vitek Vanecek, who finished with 30 saves.
Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly made an impact in his first game back since Nov. 1, recording an assist after recovering from both a concussion and a heart defect.
The Islanders, coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to Edmonton on Friday, showed resilience in mounting their four-goal surge.
With the Islanders clinging to a 3-2 lead in the closing seconds, Sorokin made a series of desperation saves—despite losing his blocker—to preserve the win.
The Islanders became just the second team this season to score four unanswered goals in the third period to erase a two-goal deficit.
The Panthers will look to bounce back when they visit Columbus on Thursday, while the Islanders head to Pittsburgh for a matchup with the Penguins on Tuesday.
