Big Shots: Florida Panthers 3, New York Islanders 2 (OT)

ELMONT, N.Y. — The Florida Panthers continued to stay red-hot in all aspects as they continued their franchise-record road run by winning their eighth straight road game, this one 3-2 in overtime against the host New York Islanders on Saturday night.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson won it for Florida with a top-shelf, breakaway goal 1:55 into the extra session off a pass from Evan Rodrigues.

Sam Reinhart scored his 37th goal of the year and set the franchise record with his 20th power-play goal of the season.

Matthew Tkachuk picked up two points, and Anthony Stolarz followed up a stellar performance in Nashville with 21 saves on 23 shots.

Stolarz also got a secondary assist on the OT goal as he made a big save to get things rolling.

Florida now goes into the All-Star break with wins in four straight — immediately following a four-game skid.

Unlike Friday’s game in Pittsburgh, Saturday started off slow and civil on Long Island as a large number of esteemed Islanders alumni.

New York outshot Florida 7-4 in the first period and drowned out the Panthers’ first chance on the power play by completely boxing out Reinhart.

But the moment he found space, he made the Islanders pay.

Reinhart found open real estate and uncorked a one-timer after Tkachuk hit him with a pass from behind the goal line near the midway point of the second period.

It was not only his 37th goal of the year — which is good for second in the league behind only Auston Matthews — but it also marked his 20th power play goal of the season.

That’s a single-season franchise record, casually hit in Game No. 49.

After Simon Holmstrom tied it late in the second, it was Tkachuk’s turn to get on the scoresheet.

Tkachuk deflected home a Sasha Barkov shot early in the third period to put the Panthers ahead.

In 13 games, Tkachuk finished the month with 11 goals and 24 points. He has the second-most points behind only Nathan MacKinnon.

Reinhart, meanwhile, leads in goals during in that stretch with 13.

The Islanders did force overtime, however, with 1:29 remaining as Noah Dobson sliced a cross-ice pass to Kyle Palmieri, who one-timed it past Stolarz.

GOALS OF THE GAME

• Panthers 1, Islanders 0 (7:56, 2nd PP): Sam Reinhart rifled a one-timer past Semyon Varlamov off of a feed from Matthew Tkachuk.
• Islanders 1, Panthers 1 (16:29, 2nd): Simon Holmstrom beat Anthony Stolarz with a quick shot off of a face-off.
• Panthers 2, Islanders 1 (5:59, 2nd) Matthew Tkachuk deflected a Sasha Barkov shot past Varlamov on the power play.
• Islanders 2, Panthers 2 (18:31, 3rd): Kyle Palmieri sends it to overtime by one-timing a slick pass from Noah Dobson.
• Panthers 3, Islanders 2 (1:55, OT): Oliver Ekman-Larsson wins it in OT, coming down on a 2-on-1 with Evan Rodrigues for Florida’s fourth straight win.

FHN’S 3 STARS OF THE GAME

1. Sam Reinhart, Florida

2. Anthony Stolarz, Florida

3. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Florida

ON DECK

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS @ FLORIDA PANTHERS

• When: Tuesday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida, ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL app
• Season Series — At Florida: Feb. 6; March 7. At Philadelphia: March 24.  
• Last season: Philadelphia won 2-1
  
• All-time regular season series: Philadelphia leads 57-37-6, 7 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Feb. 8 vs. Washington, 7 p.m.