SUNRISE, Fla., Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Tim Kennedy's tip-in goal 4 minutes into the third period gave Florida the lead and the Panthers went on to a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders.
Kennedy's redirection of a Shawn Matthias shot broke a 2-2 tie and proved decisive as the Panthers rebounded from a pair of shutout losses in their previous two games.
Matthias added an empty-net goal and finished with two assists. Kris Versteeg and Matt Bradley also scored in Florida's victory.
Jose Theodore turned aside 8-of-10 shots over the first two periods before leaving with game, reportedly with cramps. Jacob Markstrom came in to weather a third-period onslaught in which he saved all 18 Islanders shots he faced.
Mark Streit and John Tavares found the net for the Islanders.
New York's Evgeni Nabokov stopped 29-of-32 shots.
