SUNRISE, Fla. — The Islanders are limping home. But, at least, this season-opening 13-game road trip has finally come to an end.
The Panthers sent them to their fourth straight regulation loss, scoring four times in the first period of a 6-1 decision on Tuesday night at FLA Live Arena.
The last-place Islanders (5-6-2) were forced to dress a makeshift lineup with top-pair defenseman Ryan Pulock out with a lower-body injury and Josh Bailey in COVID-19 protocol.
Then, defenseman Scott Mayfield was issued a five-minute major at 1:47 of the second periond for kneeing Aleksander Barkov and a resulting game misconduct that may draw further discipline from the NHL.