Islanders let this one slip away

The Islanders let one get away Wednesday night, blowing a two-goal lead in the third period before Mike Hoffman scored a power-play goal 33 seconds into overtime, lifting the Panthers to a 3-2 victory at Barclays Center.

Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle scored for the Islanders, who lost in their first home game since Oct. 8. Robin Lehner finished with 38 saves on 41 shots.

“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.”

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 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.

After Nelson and Eberle staked the Islanders to their 2-0 lead entering the third period, the Panthers struck twice on goals by Frank Vatrano and Evgenii Dadonov to knot the score.

The winning goal was the fourth of the season for Hoffman and gave Florida just its second win this season. Backup goaltender James Reimer made 20 saves in his first win of the year.

Nelson opened the scoring late in the first with his third goal of the season at 18:36. Josh Bailey picked up the assist.
Eberle increased the lead at 11:42 of the second against Reimer, finishing off a pretty passing sequence with his first goal of the season. Barzal and Anders Lee assisted.

Last season’s Calder Trophy winner as the league’s top rookie, Barzal leads the Islanders with eight points through the team’s first eight games.

The Islanders were coming off four-game road trip in which they lost three times. It was their first home game since they defeated the Sharks 4-0 when Lehner made 35 saves.

“I thought Robin was solid,” Trotz added. “We took a penalty and they capitalized at the end. We weren’t on our toes enough.”

The Islanders showed a video tribute to Charles Wang, the team’s former majority owner who passed away at 74 last Sunday. … The Islanders announced their home game against the Maple Leafs on Feb. 28 — the return of former captain John Tavares — will be played at Nassau Coliseum instead of Barclays Center in Brooklyn.