FLORIDA 3, ISLANDERS 0
Vokoun, Panthers blank Islanders

The Florida Panthers captured a 3-0 win over the Islanders, Friday night at the Bank Atlantic Center.

For the second time this season, the Islanders failed to score. Stephen Weiss and Nathan Horton each scored power play goals, while Olli Jokinen added an empty netter to keep the Islanders from winning in their past five games. Tomas Vokoun posted his second shutout of the season with 25 saves. Rick DiPietro made 39 saves, but earned the loss.

"If you don't get to the net and get traffic, you can't score," said head coach Ted Nolan. "We have to find a way and take it upon ourselves. We have to give more. It's not rocket science. Rick keeps us in every game. We have to support Ricky and we have to generate offense and give him a chance. You have to use your intelligence to counter speed. The bottom line is we have to work harder. We have to find the solution from within. If you don't work, you won't get enough."

Special teams favored the Panthers, who went 2-for-6 on the power play, while the Islanders failed to score on three power play opportunities.

After a scoreless first period, Weiss' wrist shot from the slot on a 4-on-3 power play at 9:30 of the second period, eluded DiPietro for a 1-0 Florida lead. Prior to his goal, Weiss was denied on a penalty shot after being tripped up on a breakaway by Bryan Berard. Replays showed that Berard touched the puck before knocking down Weiss.

Captain Bill Guerin stirred things up by dropping the gloves with defenseman Bryan Allen late in the second period but that wasn't enough an to spark the offense.

Sean Bergenheim's goal was disallowed late in the third period because he was called for kicking the puck in. Jokinen added an empty net goal to seal the game.

The Islanders visit the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow night at the St. Pete Times Forum.




Check out the Islanders TV Game Day tab for complete coverage of tonight's game.





Five Stars of the Game:
1. Stephen Weiss: Perfect placement on the screened game-winner
2. Tomas Vokoun: Came up big when he had to
3. Ruslan Salei: Two assists, 23:21 TOI
4. Ville Peltonen: Two assists, +1
5. David Booth: Led Panthers in hits with six

Stat of the Game: The Islanders were out-shot 41-25.

Slapshots: The Panthers defeated the Islanders for the first time in 13 games in Florida not on St. Patrick's Day...The Islanders are 0-4-1 in their past five games...Andy Hilbert and Trent Hunter led the Islanders in hits with three.


ISLANDERS
Goaltenders
39 Rick DiPietro
34 Wade Dubielewicz

Defensemen
32 Brendan Witt - 24 Radek Martinek
25 Andy Sutton – 4 Bryan Berard
14 Chris Campoli – 8 Bruno Gervais

Forwards
26 Ruslan Fedotenko – 89 Mike Comrie – 13 Bill Guerin
15 Jeff Tambellini – 63 Josef Vasicek – 81 Miroslav Satan
11 Andy Hilbert – 18 Mike Sillinger – 7 Trent Hunter
12 Chris Simon – 10 Richard Park – 20 Sean Bergenheim


FLORIDA
Goaltenders
29 Tomas Vokoun
31 Craig Anderson

Defensemen
2   Branislav Mezei - 24 Ruslan Salei
5   Bryan Allen - 4 Jay Bouwmeester
22 Jassen Cullimore - 7   Steve Montador

Forwards
16 Nathan Horton - 12 Olli Jokinen - 18 Ville Peltonen
10 David Booth - 9 Stephen Weiss - 20 Richard Zednik
85 Rostislav Olesz - 15 Jozef Stumpel - 14 Radek Dvorak
54 Kamil Kreps - 11 Gregory Campbell - 37 Tanner Glass