Islanders eliminate Panthers with Game Six win

After 8,381 days, the New York Islanders are headed to the second round of the playoffs.

John Tavares forced overtime by scoring in the final minute of regulation and then scored the game-winning goal with 9:19 left in second overtime on Sunday as the Islanders eliminated the Florida Panthers with a 2-1 win in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarter-finals at Barclays Center.

The Islanders won in overtime three times on their way to taking the series 4-2. New York will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the conference semi-finals beginning later this week.

Tavares' first shot was turned back by Roberto Luongo, but he followed the puck around the net and put it into the empty corner to set off a wild celebration.

The postseason series win is the first for the Islanders since 1993 -- so long ago the NHL had just 24 teams and still went by traditional hockey names for its divisions and conferences.

The Islanders beat the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins that spring to emerge from the Patrick Division before falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens in the Wales Conference finals.

Goalie Thomas Greiss made 41 saves for the Islanders.

The Panthers, meanwhile, now inherit the Islanders' mantle as the longest-suffering team in the NHL. Florida, who won the Atlantic Division this season, have not won a postseason series since they reached the Stanley Cup in 1996.

Jonathan Huberdeau scored in the first period for the Panthers while Luongo made 49 saves.

The Panthers spent most of the first period on their heels -- Florida held an 11-3 advantage in blocked shots -- but scored first with 62 seconds left.

Huberdeau stopped to shake Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic, who was in front of him. Hamonic reached out with his left hand and accidentally tripped Huberdeau, who shot the puck as he was falling to the ice.

The shot sailed past Nick Leddy and over Greiss' shoulder.

Greiss was pulled with about 1:30 left and the Islanders finally tied it on a third-effort goal by Tavares with 53.2 seconds left.

Luongo stopped shots by Matt Martin and Kulemin, but he was sprawled face-down on the ice as the puck skittered to his right. Tavares swooped in and put it home to set off a raucous celebration.

Luongo made 15 saves in the first overtime, when the Islanders missed on several prime scoring chances. Luongo turned back Tavares and Kyle Okposo on consecutive shots about six minutes in while Shane Prince and Alan Quine later missed wide of the net.