Panthers Spoil Islanders In Season Opener

     The Florida Panthers escaped the New York Islanders 3-1 at UBS Arena on Thursday night in the regular season opener for both clubs. The Panthers started their 29th season in the National Hockey League. The Islanders were celebrating their 50th anniversary season prior to the contest. 

     Florida(1-0-0) got out to a 1-0 lead with 7:15 left in the second period. Colin White pushed the puck from the high slot and Radko Gudas took a slap shot from the right point. It hit off the stick shaft of Eetu Luostarinen in the right circle and it slid by Ilya Sorokin. 

     In the third period, New York(0-1-1) tied the contest 1-1 at the 2:13 mark. Brock Nelson feed the puck from the right wing and Noah Dobson fired a wrist shot from above the right circle by Sergei Bobrovsky. 

     The Panthers answered back 20 seconds to reclaim the lead 2-1. Ryan Lomberg snap shot from the hight slot was saved. Patric Hornqvist captured it at the right of the crease, went around the cage and scored on a wraparound shot.

     The Islanders pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with under two minutes remaining and it did not work. Matthew Tkachuk, in his first game wearing a Panthers jersey, scored an empty-net goal from the neutral zone with 1:15 left.