Panthers Slay Islanders

The Panthers celebrate their first of 4 goals (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)

          Evgeni Nabokov proved to be human as he lost 4-1 to the Florida Panthers today at the Nassau Coliseum. It was Nabokov's third loss in his last 10 starts.

          Nabokov came into the game sporting a 1.32 goals against average in his last nine contest, but seemed to have trouble getting comfortable in this one. 

          The Islanders got off to a quick start in this one as they scored on the first recorded shot of the game by either team at the 3:35 mark.  P.A. Parenteau lead Frans Nielsen straight through the defense into a mini breakaway, on which Nielsen completed by lifting a wrist shot over the glove of goaltender, Jose Theodore, for his 10th goal of the season.

          That would prove to be the only thing the Coliseum crowd would cheer about as it was all Panthers the rest of the game. 

          The Islanders  held the lead for about 11 minutes until the Panthers struck for their first goal, as Tyson Strachon shot seemed to deflect off an Islander hand and hit the back of the net, Strachon's first of the season.

          The second period saw the Panthers score there remaining 3 goals as Thomas Fleischmann (18), Kris Versteeg (22), and Jack Skille (3) would all find a way past Nabokov.  Fleischmann's goal came at the 4:17 mark as he tipped in a beautiful cross ice feed from his linemate Versteeg.  Versteeg's goal came on the power play at 11:41 mark as he took a Fleischmann pass and wristed it over the glove hand of Nabokov.  Skille's goal came at the 18:33 mark as he took a quick wrist shot off the faceoff which seemed to surprise Nabokov as he wasn't set and let in a goal he would probably like back. 

          The Islanders came out in the third with a different sense of urgency and started to pepper Theodore with shots.  They out shot the Panthers in the period 11-4 but could not find the back of the net with any of those.  

          The Islanders record dropped to 23-24-8 as the Panthers record was raised to 27-17-11.  Next up for the Isles is a mini 2 game road trip starting in Winnipeg as they face the Jets on Tuesday, puck drop is at 8:30.