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 Greiss stopped 34 of 36 shots as the Sharks (7-8-0) dropped under
.500 for the first time this season. San Jose capped a poor
homestand with three losses in four tries.
The Sharks now face a daunting six-game trip to open a pivotal
early-season stretch in which 14 of their next 19 games are on the
road.
New York won in San Jose for the first time since Feb. 19, 2003. The
Sharks had five wins and a tie as hosts against the Islanders since.
The Islanders scored a backbreaking goal 45 seconds into the final
period to squelch building momentum the Sharks built following a
strong middle period. New York defenseman Johnny Boychuk scored with
a rising drive two strides outside the blue line that beat San Jose
goalie Alex Stalock.
Boychuk's third goal of the season put New York on top 3-1.
Defenseman Brent Burns pulled San Jose within one goal with his
fifth of the season at 14:49. His shot from in close beat Greiss on
the near post following a pass out front from center Tomas Hertl.
San Jose pressed hard with an extra attacker in the final minutes,
but New York center John Tavares iced it with his second goal of the
game into an empty net inside the last five seconds.
A goal from San Jose right winger Joel Ward midway through the
middle period lit a fire, but the Sharks couldn't earn the equalizer
after dominating zone play and quality chances the remainder of the
second period.
Ward drove the left side, cut toward the net uncontested to slip his
eighth goal of the season between Greiss' pads at 10:14. San Jose's
first goal in three games snapped a scoreless streak of 91:20.
Try as they might, the Sharks couldn't solve Greiss the rest of the
period and took a 25-17 shot advantage into the locker room at the
second intermission.
It was a disastrous start for the Sharks, who trailed 2-0 just 3:30
after the opening faceoff. San Jose goalie Martin Jones received an
early hook after facing only three shots.
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The Islanders took advantage of a bad line change to break in
four-on-three on the opening shift of the game. New York center John
Tavares was alone for a weakside tap-in 36 second into the game
after Jones left a rebound of left winger Brock Nelson's shot.
Mikhail Grabovski used Sharks defenseman Brent Burns as a screen
during a one-on-two rush, and the New York center's 50-foot shot
tipped off the bottom of Jones' left catching glove and into the net
to quiet the home crowd and signal a call to backup Alex Stalock for
the second time in Jones' past three starts.
Stalock stopped 20 of the 21 shots he faced.
NOTES: San Jose coach Peter DeBoer was added as assistant to
Edmonton coach Todd McLellan's North American entry into the 2016
World Cup. ... D Adam Pelech was recalled from Bridgeport of the AHL
to give the Islanders insurance on the blue line. LW Taylor Beck and
Pelech were healthy scratches. ... Melker Karlsson made his season
debut for San Jose, centering the third line. Karlsson battled a
lower-body injury early this season. ... New York's three-game West
Coast swing concludes with games on consecutive nights in Los
Angeles on Thursday and at Anaheim on Friday. ... The Sharks
recalled LW Nikolay Goldobin and D Mirco Mueller from their AHL San
Jose affiliate. Both were healthy scratches along with C Ben Smith,
who is battling a head injury. ... The Sharks embark on a
season-long six-game trip with games back-to-back on Saturday and
Sunday in Detroit and Buffalo, respectively.
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reserved.]
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