Panthers Hit The Road Looking To Regain Top Spot In Atlantic
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BROOKLYN (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – It's no coincidence that as the Florida Panthers have gotten healthier, the goals have been coming much more frequently.
The Panthers look to continue their offensive surge when they begin a three-game road trip against the New York Islanders on Monday night.
The Panthers have scored 14 goals in three games while pocketing five points after a 5-4 shootout victory over Philadelphia on Saturday to move within one of first place in the Atlantic Division.
Jaromir Jagr recorded two goals and three assists in the last three contests and fellow veteran forward Jussi Jokinen has built a 10-game point streak for the Panthers, who will play six of the next seven on the road.
The Islanders have not lost at home in regulation since before the All-Star break (5-0-1) as they attempt to keep a comfortable distance from the ninth-place team in the Eastern Conference (currently six points ahead).
New York captain John Tavares has scored in three consecutive games, including the 200th of his career, to take over the team lead with 54 points.
The Islanders have dropped four straight games to the Panthers, including a pair this season.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Florida, MSG-Plus (New York)
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (38-21-9): Jagr, who leads the team with 53 points, can break a tie with Larry Murphy for eighth all-time in NHL games played with 1,616.
Jokinen has two goals and 10 assists during his streak and Vincent Trocheck owns six points in the last three games while their linemate Reilly Smith boasts four in the same span.
Roberto Luongo earned his 29th victory Saturday and needs one more to reach 30 for the eighth time in his career – and first since 2011-12 with Vancouver.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (37-21-8): Tavares became the first player from his 2009 draft class to reach 200 goals and is one of four to go past 100 with 26 coming this season.
Impending free agent Kyle Okposo (53 points) has cooled off with one assist in the last three contests while Brock Nelson (22 goals) has been kept off the scoresheet in the same span.
Defenseman Calvin de Haan (groin) could return either Monday or Tuesday against Pittsburgh after missing nine of the last 11 games and four straight.
OVERTIME
- Florida LW Jonathan Huberdeau has two goals and three assists the last three games since returning from a concussion.
- New York D Nick Leddy is second on the team with 31 assists and has accumulated seven points in the last five contests.
- The Panthers and the Islanders were both in the top nine of the league scoring and goals-against entering Sunday's games.
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