The Golden Knights’ homestand woes deepened Monday night as they fell 3-2 to the Florida Panthers at T-Mobile Arena, losing their third consecutive game. Despite a spirited third-period rally, Vegas dropped to 1-3-1 on its six-game homestand and 7-4-4 overall.

Tomas Hertl cut the deficit to 2-1 just 1:25 into the third period, and Ivan Barbashev made it 3-2 at 9:04. But the Knights could not find the equalizer, unlike Saturday’s overtime loss to Anaheim. “When desperation mode comes in like it did the last two third periods the last two nights, then everybody’s good,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “In those lulls, let’s have a little push so we don’t get behind by two.”

Goaltender Carl Lindbom made 17 saves and fell to 0-3-1 in his first four NHL starts. Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 30 shots for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions.

The Knights’ power play went 0-for-3, including a five-on-three advantage for 1:10 early in the second period that produced no shots on goal. “We could’ve gotten momentum off that,” Cassidy said. “It’s five-on-three for a full minute. We should have been better than what we generated.” Vegas is now 3-for-29 on the power play since Oct. 20.

Florida (8-7-1) opened the scoring at 14:47 of the first period on a long-range shot by Jesper Boqvist that beat Lindbom through traffic. Brad Marchand made it 2-0 at 10:54 of the second with a nifty deke and backhand finish. Sam Reinhardt added a power-play goal at 4:54 of the third to restore the two-goal lead.

The Knights were without center William Karlsson (lower body, day to day). Brett Howden filled in on the third line, and Alexander Holtz returned to the lineup after a healthy scratch.

“It’s such a long season,” Hertl said. “We have to figure it out because you need every point. But we have such a great team. We know what it takes.”

Vegas can salvage a 5-of-12 point homestand with a win Thursday against the New York Islanders before hitting the road for five of the next six games.