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Cullimore's OT goal halts Panthers' skid

Jan 4, 2008 - 5:03 AM UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) -- After nearly costing his team with a late penalty, defenseman Jassen Cullimore more than made up for his mistake.

Cullimore scored 93 seconds into overtime, lifting the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 victory Thursday over the New York Islanders and spoiling what turned into a controversial return for goaltender Rick DiPietro.

Nathan Horton recorded two goals and an assist and David Booth also tallied for Florida, which halted a three-game losing streak.

With the game even late in the third period, Cullimore was called for tripping with 2:05 remaining. But the Panthers were able to successfully kill the penalty, giving the blue-liner a chance to redeem himself.

In the extra session, fellow defenseman Ruslan Salei made a cross-ice pass to Cullimore, who beat DiPietro to the stick side with a rising slap shot from just above the left faceoff circle for his first goal of the season.

"I didn't really see it," Cullimore said. "I just put my head down and shot the puck. I was wondering why it took guys five minutes to come out and celebrate. I think they thought I shot it over the glass or something."

The tally ended a 79-game drought for Cullimore, who last scored on October 31, 2006 - also against New York.

"I make them count," he said with a smile. "I take my hat off to those guys (for killing my penalty)."

After missing three games with a knee injury, DiPietro returned with a new set of pads that had yet to be inspected by the NHL as required by rule. While the netminder claimed he informed the officials, the league office in Toronto instructed him to change the pads after the first period.

"I would have liked to have worn the same pair of pads for the entire game, but that's how those things happen and you have to live with it," said DiPietro, who could face disciplinary action. "I'm not trying to sneak anything by anyone."

An Islanders spokesman said general manager Garth Snow talked with league officials, but the team would not comment on the matter any further until Friday.

After a scoreless first period, Horton netted the first of his two goals 50 seconds into the second.

Booth carried down the left wing and Horton picked up the puck from along the left wing boards. Cutting through the left faceoff circle to the slot, Horton fired a shot past DiPietro for his 11th tally of the season and a 1-0 lead.

"We just try to get things toward the net and good things happen," Horton said. "We got a couple of lucky goals. The more shots we get, the better chance we have to score."

New York cashed in on a power play at 2:12 to knot the contest, as Mike Comrie buried a loose puck from the doorstep for his 13th goal.

Booth restored the lead for Florida at 6:56 with his second tally in as many nights. Stephen Weiss' shot from the right point deflected to Booth, who beat DiPietro from the bottom of the right circle for a 2-1 edge.

Horton recorded an assist on the play, tying him with captain Olli Jokinen for the team lead with eight multi-point performances.

Panthers goaltender Craig Anderson made a costly mistake while his team was shorthanded, allowing the Islanders to again forge a tie. Attempting to clear the puck up the middle of the ice, Anderson fired it right into Mike Sillinger, who deposited it into a vacant net with 8:23 remaining.

Horton capped his second two-goal effort of the season during a power play later in the session to give Florida a 3-2 advantage, wristing a shot from the left faceoff dot between the left arm and body of DiPietro with 3:21 to go.

"It seemed like he was hungry tonight to shoot the puck," Weiss said of Horton.

But captain Bill Guerin continued his torrid pace, tying the contest at 3-3 with his sixth goal in as many games with 5:19 left in the third by unleashing a quick snap shot from the top of the slot that deflected off Florida defenseman Jay Bouwmeester's skate and past Anderson.

Anderson turned aside 37 shots for the Panthers, who improved to 11-10-3 in a league-high 24 one-goal games.

"We're used to it," Florida coach Jacques Martin said. "That's the way most games are in the NHL - one-goal affairs."

Cullimore's tally gave Martin his 398th career victory, moving him past Glen Sather for sole possession of 10th place on the all-time list.

DiPietro made 28 saves for the Islanders, who fell to 2-15-0 when trailing after two periods.

"It was kind of a weird game," Sillinger said. "I thought we let a lot of loose rebounds around (DiPietro)."