New York @ Florida preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 9, 2019 ) Florida 1, NY Islanders 2

The Florida Panthers look to recover from a disappointing performance against their state rival and begin moving forward again when they host the stingy New York Islanders on Thursday night. The Panthers had won three of four to start their season-high, nine-game homestand before allowing 48 shots -16 in the third period while managing six - in a 2-1 setback against Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

“It’s one of those nights where you’re trying to get something going,” Florida coach Joel Quenneville told reporters. “We didn’t have much, whether it was pace or possession. They played it like it was one of the biggest games of year for them. It was a good measuring stick for us to meet that type of challenge. … It’s a learning curve, and we have to be better. … We have to match that emotion.” The Panthers must raise their level of play against the Islanders, who have already won the first two meetings this season in New York - one in a shootout on Oct. 12 and the other 2-1 on Nov. 9. The Islanders have won four of their last six games and split the first two contests on their three-game trip after taking full advantage of mistakes to knock off Tampa Bay 5-1 on Monday. “Special teams, a short-handed goal, a power-play goal, all those elements in your game that you need,” New York goalie Semyon Varlamov told reporters after the win. “At the end, we had that killer instinct.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New York), FS Florida

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (20-7-2): Brock Nelson (23 points) scored twice in the win at Tampa Bay and has three in the past three games to push his season total to 11 - one behind fellow center Mathew Barzal for the team lead. Barzal also tops the club with 26 points after collecting six (three goals) in the past six contests and fellow forward Josh Bailey scored once and set up six others in the same span to become the third player on the team with at least 20 points (21). Thomas Greiss (10-4-0, 2.24 goals-against average, .930 save percentage) made 37 saves to beat the Panthers on Nov. 9 and is likely to start Thursday.

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (15-10-5): Evgenii Dadonov scored the only goal Tuesday for his second in three games and 12th overall - moving to second on the club behind fellow right wing Brett Connolly (14). Left wing Jonathan Huberdeau had an assist on Dadonov’s goal and registered six of his team-leading 37 points in the past four contests while captain Aleksander Barkov (36) was kept off the scoresheet after posting seven in the previous five games. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (11-7-4, 3.19 GAA, .898 SP) has allowed four goals on 113 shots the past three games after being benched the previous two.

OVERTIME

1. New York captain F Anders Lee has collected three goals and three assists in the past six games.

2. Florida F Denis Malgin (nine points) could return to the lineup after missing the last three contests with an undisclosed injury.

3. Islanders D Nick Leddy (lower body) missed Monday’s contest in Tampa Bay and is considered day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Islanders 3, Panthers 2