As Usual, Panthers Come Back

It was only logical.

Florida was behind the New York Islanders, 2-0, Thursday night in Miami.

The Panthers had been beaten, 2-0, by New Jersey on Tuesday night . . . but they haven’t lost two games in a row since the Stanley Cup finals.

So it was no surprise when Robert Svehla scored a goal and assisted on another and defenseman Ed Jovanovski set up two other scores for Florida, which rallied to beat the Islanders, 4-2.

Want more evidence?

Last month, New York was up 3-1 in Miami, but the Panthers came back to tie the score, 3-3.

“Everyone knew we could come back,” said goalie Mark Fitzpatrick, who stopped 40 shots. “It was just a matter of time. We were getting chances. We scored some really, really nice goals. It was a big win for us.”

The Panthers got their other goals from Scott Mellanby, Ray Sheppard and Mike Hough. Svehla and Jovanovski are tied for second in assists on the team with 11.

Brent Hughes and Bryan Smolinski scored for the Islanders.

Phoenix 3, St. Louis 0--Darcy Wakaluk turned back 33 shots in St. Louis to beat the Blues for the first time in his six-year career.

Wakaluk, who had been 0-7-3 against the Blues, turned in the ninth shutout of his career, and it was the second Blues’ shutout in a row, something that hasn’t happened since 1978.

Hartford 4, Boston 2--Nelson Emerson scored a goal and assisted on another for the Whalers, who extended their unbeaten streak on the road to eight games (4-0-4) and added to Boston’s misery at home.

The Bruins are 5-8-3 at the Fleet Center.

New Jersey 2, Calgary 1--The Devils, who had one power-play goal in their last 30 opportunities coming into the game, got one from Valeri Zelepukin and Bobby Holik added a goal to break a 12-game scoring drought in a victory at East Rutherford, N.J.