Hoffman scores in OT, sends Panthers past Islanders 3-2

NEW YORK — The victory-starved Florida Panthers made the most of a power-play in overtime against the New York Islanders.

Mike Hoffman scored with the man advantage 33 seconds into the extra period, lifting the Panthers to a 3-2 win over the Islanders on Wednesday night.

The winning goal was the fourth of the season for Hoffman and was assisted by defenseman Keith Yandle and captain Aleksander Barkov. The Panthers, who have two wins in eight games this season, improved to 6-1-0 in their last seven road games against the Islanders.

"Specialty teams are huge nowadays. Any of the top teams in the league will have good specialty teams," said Hoffman, the former Ottawa Senator who was acquired in a trade involving San Jose before the season. "To get two on the power play tonight definitely had a big part in us getting the two points."

The Panthers won for just the second time in eight games this season. Backup goaltender James Reimer made 20 saves in his first win of the year.

"As a team, we just kept battling and kept fighting and finally we were rewarded," Reimer said. "We just needed to stick with it. There's no magic potion. You just have to keep doing your thing."

The Panthers were called for delay of game with just under three minutes left in regulation, but the Islanders wiped out that power play when center Mathew Barzal was sent off for interference at 18:35. That penalty led to the power-play chance in overtime and Hoffman's goal that completed a three-goal rally by the Panthers.

Frank Vatrano - also on the power play and Evgenii Dadonov scored for the Panthers in the third period against Islanders goalie Robin Lehner, erasing a two-goal deficit.

"They capitalized on the power play. They have some high-skill guys who made some plays," Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. "We lost a special teams game tonight."

Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle staked the Islanders to a 2-0 lead heading into the third period, but the Panthers then struck on the goals by Vatrano and Dadonov.

Nelson opened the scoring late in the first with his third goal of the season at 18:36. Josh Bailey picked up the assist.