N.Y. Islanders: Playing From Behind Becoming a Trend

 From the desk of:  FIVE FOR FLATBUSH

Series tied 2-2

I - NYI 5; FLA 4

II - FLA 3; NYI 1

III - NYI 4; FLA 3*

IV - FLA 2; NYI 1

*OVERTIME

New York Islanders: Putting the "Flat" in Flatbush ... Panthers looked quicker; send series back to Florida tied at two.

It's the ones you never see coming - like the Panthers' Alex Petrovic.

But Florida created that problem for the Islanders.  The Panthers have Flatbush heads turning on a swivel.  They're skating and moving the puck more quickly than are the Isles, and do not seem much intimidated by them either.

GAME FOUR FINAL

Panthers   2

Islanders   1

The Islanders were sluggish out of the gate in Game Four, with only 5 shots on goal through the opening period.

In the second session, mistakes cost each team.  The Panthers struck first, converting Matt Martin's tripping infraction into a 1-0 lead.  Then at the taboo 19:04 mark, Florida got whistled for an untimely tripping penalty.  John Tavares made them pay at 19:44 with his third goal of the series.

When opportunity came Petrovic's way near the blue line, he responded with the tie breaking goal at 9:25 of the third period.  He only scored two goals in 66 games this season, but he's sending this series back to Sunrise, Florida, tied at two nonetheless.

#Trending

• The Islanders and Panthers have played 12 regulation periods.  The Isles have been shut out in half of them.  The Panthers have been shut out just twice.

• The Isles have yielded the first goal in each of the four games played.  Moreover, Florida has scored the opening goal within the first five minutes of the game three times this series.

• The Isles scored three game tying goals in Game One, and another in Game Four.  They only have one go-ahead goal, scored back in Game One.

• In each of the Isles two losses, they were limited to just one goal.