• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Anderson, Panthers blank slumping Islanders

Mar 3, 2008 - 12:46 AM By Doug Mittler PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) - Craig Anderson spoiled the New York Islanders' party.

Anderson stopped 53 shots and withstood a second-period barrage on Sunday as the Florida Panthers made a first-period goal by David Booth stand up in a 1-0 victory over the slumping New York Islanders.

Prior to the game, the Islanders honored the "Core of the Four," the 16 players that were members of all four Stanley Cup-winning teams from 1980 to 1983. That did little to inspire the current crop of Islanders, who saw their playoff chances take another hit in what amounted to a lost weekend.

The Islanders (31-29-7), who lost at home to Philadelphia on Saturday, are 1-4-0 in their last five contests after a six-game winning streak. They are five points behind the Flyers (33-25-8) for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

"I think the most frustrating thing is letting four points slip away this weekend," Islanders center Mike Comrie said. "When you get over 50 shots, you expect one or two to get by their goaltender."

Anderson took over for All-Star Tomas Vokoun and won the battle of backup goaltenders by posting his third career shutout and first since March 6, 2006 against Nashville.

"A lot went untold there. Lot of guys blocking shots, lot of guys collapsing, putting their faces on the line," Anderson said. "There was definitely a lot of help that you didn't recognize. If you did, I'll mention it anyway."

Anderson recorded his fourth win of the season - with two coming against the Islanders - after stopping 14 shots in the first period, 29 in the second and 10 in the third. Wade Dubielewicz made 29 saves for New York in place of Rick DiPietro, who missed the game to attend his grandmother's funeral.

Booth gave Anderson all he would need when he got hold of a rebound of a backhand shot by captain Olli Jokinen and put a shot from between the circles into the net at 9:57 of the first period.

"I was just around the net. That's where I'll score goals," Booth said. "That's the way we've been scoring lately."

The Islanders dominated the second, setting a club record for shots in a period with 29 compared to eight for Florida. But they could not get a puck past Anderson, who made point blank saves on Jeff Tambellini and Ruslan Fedotenko, and another shot by Comrie hit the post.

"Most guys will play better when there's no thought involved," Anderson said. "When you're seeing shots like that, you're not really thinking at all - you're just reacting."

The 29 shots also were the most allowed by Florida in a period, but did not leave the Panthers flustered.

"We were winning. I don't see why we had to be nervous," Panthers center Stephen Weiss said.

The Islanders had a similarly frustrating game on Tuesday, when they had 52 shots on goal in a loss to Pittsburgh.

"We threw everything at him. There are no excuses not to score a goal," Fedotenko said. "Maybe we're trying to make the pretty play."

Florida played a more patient defensive game the rest of the way and finished with 28 blocked shots, including nine by Karlis Skrastins.

New York defenseman Bruno Gervais left with a thigh bruise and a concussion in the first period and did not return.