Panthers Secure Win Over Islanders with Verhaeghe’s Latest Goal
The Florida Panthers concluded their homestand with a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Sunday. Carter Verhaeghe scored his sixth goal in six games, while Seth Jones scored for the second consecutive game. The Panthers earned five points from their three-game, four-day stint.
Uvis Balinskis scored a rare goal for the Panthers, his first of the season and seventh in 126 NHL games. The goal gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead, with the puck sailing past Islanders goalie David Rittich. Mathew Barzal scored his ninth goal for the Islanders, with an assist from Matthew Schaefer.
The Panthers extended their lead with Verhaeghe’s goal in the second period, assisted by Jeff Petry. Verhaeghe’s goal marked his 146th as a Panther, breaking a tie with Stephen Weiss for seventh on the team’s all-time list. Jones scored the Panthers’ third goal with six minutes left, making it 3-1.
The Islanders’ record fell to 3-10-0 in games where they score two goals or fewer this season. The team had won three straight games prior to the loss. The Panthers, on the other hand, finished their stretch of 11 out of 12 games at home with a 5-5-1 record.
The Islanders will host the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, while the Panthers will visit Utah on Wednesday. Sam Reinhart added an empty-netter for the Panthers, securing their 4-1 win. The game marked the end of the Panthers’ homestand, with the team looking to build on their recent performance.