Lomberg scores in 3rd to help Panthers beat Islanders 3-2

New York Islanders’ Anders Lee slaps the puck past Florida Panthers’ goalie Spencer Knight during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin) (Michael Laughlin/AP)

New York Islanders' Anders Lee slaps the puck past Florida Panthers' goalie Spencer Knight during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin) (Michael Laughlin/AP)

SUNRISE, Fla. — Ryan Lomberg scored early in the third period and the Florida Panthers held on to beat the New York Islanders 3-2 on Sunday.

Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen also scored for the Panthers, and Spencer Knight finished with 23 saves. Florida beat New York for the second time this season after a 3-1 win in the season opener on Oct. 13.

Anders Lee scored two power-play goals for the Islanders, who lost their third straight. Semyon Varlamov had 28 saves.

Florida opened a 2-0 lead within the first 9 1/2 minutes with unassisted goals from Lundell and Luostarinen.

Lundell got the Panthers on the scoreboard when he beat Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech to the puck near the backboards, turned and scored on a sharp-angled shot that trickled past Varlamov just 39 seconds into the game. Luostarinen made it 2-0 at 9:13.

Lee got the Islanders within one at 4:27 of the second when he swept in the rebound of a shot by Mathew Barzal that Knight stopped but the puck got behind him.

Lomberg’s slap shot from the left circle at 2:56 of the third restored Florida’s two-goal lead.

On a two-man advantage midway through the third, Lee again cleaned up a loose puck behind Knight to pull the Islanders within a goal at 9:07.

BACK-TO-BACK

The Islanders played the most back-to-back games of any team in the NHL last season with 17. Sunday was their first such contest of the new season and they went 0-2 after a 5-3 loss at Tampa Bay on Saturday night.

POWER OUTAGE

The Islanders have not allowed a power-play goal through their first six games of the season, going 22 for 22 on the penalty kill. On Sunday, the Panthers went 0 for 4 with the man advantage. The Islanders’ had the fourth-best penalty kill by percentage (84.2) last season. The Florida power play is currently ranked near the bottom of the league, now 2 for 27 through its first six games.

UP NEXT

Islanders: Host the New York Rangers on Wednesday night.

Panthers: At Chicago on Tuesday night.