• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Isles try to avoid history, 12th straight loss versus Panthers

Nov 20, 2010 - 3:53 PM (Sports Network) - The New York Islanders will try yet again to end their lengthy losing streak when they host the Florida Panthers in tonight's clash at Nassau Colosseum.

New York is 0-10-1 in its last 11 contests, marking the club's longest stretch without a win since the Islanders went 0-8-2 with a tie in an 11-game span during the 1998-99 season. A setback tonight would match the longest losing streak in club history first set from Dec. 27, 1972-Jan. 18, 1973 and later matched on Nov. 22-Dec. 17, 1988.

The first 10 losses during this skid came under former head coach Scott Gordon, but he was fired an replaced by Jack Capuano, who made his NHL head coaching debut in Wednesday's 4-2 loss to Tampa Bay. Martin St. Louis had a goal and two assists to lead the Lightning to the road win at the Coliseum.

Dwayne Roloson faced 39 shots in the game and turned aside 36. Matt Moulson and John Tavares scored goals for the Isles.

"We generated some chances and we had some scoring opportunities and the outcome just wasn't what we wanted," said Capuano. "I thought our energy was good."

The Islanders' latest setback was also the club's third straight defeat on home ice. New York, which will visit Atlanta tomorrow, is 2-3-1 as the host this season.

New York's current slide actually began with a loss to the Panthers in south Florida on Oct. 23. The Panthers have won two straight, five of six and 11 of the last 14 games in this series. However, Florida has dropped six out of nine at the Coliseum.

The Panthers recorded a 4-3 regulation win when they hosted the Isles last month. Tavares scored the first hat trick of his career in the losing effort for New York.

However, Florida was burned for a hat trick in its most recent loss, as Milan Lucic scored three times to lead the Bruins to Thursday's 4-0 victory in Boston. Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask also turned aside all 41 shots sent his way to help send the Panthers to their second loss in three games.

Tomas Vokoun allowed four goals on 40 shots for the Panthers, who were 0- for-5 on the power play.

"Tuukka Rask was our power-play problem," said Panthers head coach Peter DeBoer. "It wasn't our power play. We generated plenty of chances on the power play, but when you have a goalie that plays like that, that's the power-play problem."

Panthers forward Rostislav Olesz, who has two goals and seven assists this year, suffered a hand injury in the loss to the Bruins and is questionable for tonight's game.

Tonight marks the end of a four-game road trip for the Panthers, who are just 3-7-0 as the visiting team this year.