NEW YORK _ The Islanders deserved to lose this one.
The Panthers scored twice in the third period and won it, 3-2, on Mike Hoffman's power-play goal 33 seconds into overtime on Wednesday night at Barclays Center.
It was bad ending to a night that started somberly as the team honored former owner Charles Wang, who passed away on Sunday at age 74, with a video tribute followed by a moment of silence prior to the opening faceoff.
Robin Lehner made 38 saves for the Islanders (3-4-1), who were outshot 15-6 in the third period and overtime after taking a two-goal lead.
James Reimer made 20 saves for the Panthers (2-3-3).
The Islanders were trying to take advantage of a rare opportunity at home as they play eight of their first 11 games on the road and Wednesday marked their first home game since a 4-0 win over the Sharks at Brooklyn on Oct. 8.
"It seems like a lot of road games to start the season, which is fine," right wing Josh Bailey said. "I think we've enjoyed it. It's good to get the team together. But when you get a chance to come home, you want to make the most of it."
The Islanders completed a 1-3-0 road trip with a 4-1 loss at San Jose last Saturday and open a three-game trip at Philadelphia on Saturday. But their players and coach Barry Trotz have said repeatedly the team deserved better results on the trip, particularly in a 5-2 loss at Nashville on Oct. 13 and a 4-1 loss at Anaheim on Oct. 17.
The same claim could not be made for this game as the Islanders squandered their lead, even if the Panthers' comeback started off a questionable slashing penalty on Andrew Ladd at 1:32 of the third period.
The Islanders took a 1-0 lead at 18:46 of a solidly-played first period on their part as Brock Nelson got the credit for an own goal as Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson banked the puck in off Vincent Trocheck's skate. Play continued as it was not initially signaled a goal, but video confirmed it at the next stoppage.
Jordan Eberle made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 11:42 of the second period as Barzal found him open in the left circle. It was Eberle's first goal since March 20 after he went the last nine games of last season without one.
Eberle, on Tuesday, called this game a "must win" for the Islanders despite it only being their eighth game of the season because it was an infrequent home game and because the team has had such long breaks in between games.
The Panthers came within 2-1 on Frank Vatrano's power-play goal at 2:46 of the third period as he took a feed from Nick Bjugstad after the right wing took defenseman Aaron Ekblad's slap shot off his arm.
Evgenii Dadonov tied the game at 2 at 10:35 of the third period as the defense pair of Nick Leddy and Ryan Pulock and the third line of Valterri Filppula, Anthony Beauvillier and Leo Komarov combined to watch Aleksander Barkov shoot the puck off the left post, retrieve it behind the net, circle around and find Dadonov.
