By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) – Alan Quine was a newborn when the New York Islanders last won a playoff series. He spent most of this season in the minors. His NHL debut was a mere two weeks ago, the team adding him to the roster as an emergency callup.
And now he's a playoff hero.
The 23-year-old Quine put the Islanders in position to end a 23-year drought between playoff series wins. His slap shot at 16 minutes of the second overtime – 96 minutes into the game – narrowly beat Florida goalie Roberto Luongo, and New York topped the Panthers 2-1 in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
The game started Friday, ended Saturday at 12:16 a.m., and the Islanders – now up 3-2 in the series – will try for the clincher in Brooklyn on Sunday.
“Right in my wheelhouse,” Quine said of the power-play winner, “and I just ripped it.”
Thomas Greiss' spectacular series continued, stopping 47 shots for the Islanders. He's saved 92 of the last 95 shots he's faced.
“I think we're playing great hockey,” Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said. “We're getting great scoring chances. The kid's playing really well. … Hopefully, sooner or later, we're going to get some breaks.”
Luongo made 40 saves for Florida, which missed a penalty shot in the first overtime, then was whistled for two penalties in the second overtime.
The Isles' second OT power play came when Derek Mackenzie was called for slashing at 14:31, and Florida succumbed. Quine took a pass out of the high slot from Marek Zidlicky – who didn't play in any of the series' first four games – and fired a blast from the right side that beat Luongo.
The Islanders swarmed the ice in celebration. Luongo fell onto his back, and Gallant's frustration with the call was evident.
“Definitely disappointing,” Gallant said. “But what do you do? They call penalties and penalties are part of the game. Make a great shot, they score the winning goal. It was a great hockey game.”
Frans Nielsen scored in the first period for the Islanders. Aleksander Barkov tied it early in the third for the Panthers, and had a chance for an NHL first – an overtime penalty shot goal.
The Islanders' Calvin De Haan closed his hand on the puck in the crease 7:19 into the first overtime and Barkov was awarded the third OT penalty shot in league history as a result. And like the other two, it missed.
Barkov's backhander was handled by Greiss, and play continued.
Said Barkov: “The goalie made a great save.”
Said Greiss: “I'm lucky I got it.”
It was the second overtime game of the series, the other New York's home win in Game 3. Exclude Florida's empty-net goal that sealed Game 2, and all five games of this matchup between 100-plus-point regular-season clubs has been of the one-goal variety.
“We'll be ready for Sunday,” Panthers defenseman Brian Campbell said.
Florida tied it 1:59 into the third. Jonathan Huberdeau got knocked down in the left circle but Jaromir Jagr retrieved the puck, played it back toward the right point, and Barkov scored off Alex Petrovic's pass to knot the game at 1-1.
Nielsen put New York on top with 6:29 left in the opening period, putting home the rebound of a shot by Thomas Hickey.
About four hours later, Quine entered Islanders' lore.
“We got the bounce on the power play,” Islanders coach Jack Capuano said, “from a guy that was in the American Hockey League a month ago.”
NOTES: The other two OT penalty-shot misses were by Joe Juneau for Washington against Pittsburgh in 1996, and Aleksey Morozov for Pittsburgh against Montreal in 1998. Jagr also played in both of those games. … Florida has lost seven consecutive OT playoff games, a streak going back to Colorado's 1996 Stanley Cup final clincher. … The Islanders are 3-0 when Nielsen scores in this series. … The Panthers lost Nick Bjugstad early in the second OT after a scary fall into the boards. Gallant said he needed stitches to close a cut. His status for Sunday is unknown. … Florida C Vincent Trocheck (foot) made his postseason debut. He missed 10 games. … Former world heavyweight boxing champion Michael Moorer was in the sellout crowd of 20,247.
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