SAN JOSE, Calif. – It’s been a while since the San Jose Sharks have come away from a home game with two points – a major reason why they’ve fallen off the pace in a bid for a playoff spot.
They’ll have to wait at least a couple of more days to try and find a winning formula at SAP Center.
They found the right formula Thursday in a testy game against the New York Islanders.
Logan Couture scored in a shootout and goalie James Reimer finished with 44 saves as the Sharks snapped a five-game winless streak at SAP Center – and a seven-game winless skid overall – with a 4-3 victory over the New York Islanders on Thursday.
The Sharks got goals in the first period from Alexander Barabanov and Jasper Weatherby and a second-period goal from Couture. Barabanov and Couture’s goal came on the power play, as the Sharks were largely dominated at even strength, perhaps a product of playing with just five defensemen for the final two periods.
Nicolas Meloche was injured in the first period and the Sharks announced midway through the second that he would not return. The Islanders outshot the Sharks 17-9 in the second period and 12-1 through the first 14 minutes of the third.
Brent Burns assisted on Barabanov’s power-play goal, his eighth of the season at the 15:55 mark that tied the game 1-1 after Islanders forward scored 59 seconds earlier.
Weatherby scored with 2:28 to go in the first period, firing a shot from the half-wall that got past Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin for his fourth goal of the season, snapping an 11-game NHL goal drought.
Zach Parise, Brock Nelson, and Adam Pelech all scored even-strength goals for the Islanders.
The Sharks entered Thursday nine points out of a playoff spot and with 32 games left to play, starting with home games Saturday and Sunday against Boston and Seattle, respectively.
It figured to be a night to remember for Islanders defenseman Zdeno Chara, who became the NHL’s all-time leader in games played by a defenseman on Thursday. It’ll be a night to remember for Sharks forward Jeffrey Viel as well, who dropped the gloves with Chara early in the second period.
Viel, 25, and Chara, 44, fought at the 2:29 mark of the second period. Chara, listed at 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, had a seven-inch height advantage and close to 50-pound weight advantage over Viel.
Chara seemed to have the upper hand before Viel, who appeared to connect with a couple of punches before the two landed on the ice together.
Chara, in his 24th NHL season, was playing in his 1,652nd career game, passing Chris Chelios for most games played by a defenseman. The Sharks recognized Chara at the first television timeout in the first period, with Patrick Marleau, the NHL’s all-time leader in games played, delivering a personalized message to Chara on the large video screen.
Matt Nieto and Jean-Gabriel Pageau then fought at the 15:09 mark of the second period after Nieto hit Ryan Pulock in the corner to the right of the Islanders net. Pageau got the extra penalty for roughing.
