Pavelski's Late Goal Lifts Sharks Past Islanders 3-2
NEW YORK (AP) - Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton helped the San Jose Sharks get a big win after a rough loss across town the previous night.
Pavelski scored with 2:11 left to lift the Sharks to a 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night. Melker Karlsson and Tomas Hertl also scored to help the Sharks win for the third time in four games.
Thornton set up both the tying and winning goals by sending the puck at the net, with the first going in off Hertl's leg late in the second period. On the winning goal, Thornton sent a pass into the slot and Pavelski deflected it in.
"He buys that extra second and allows you to get open," Pavelski said of Thornton. "When you get open, he puts it in the spot you want and it's good to see that one go in for sure.:
Pavelski got his fifth point in two games after having a goal and three assists in the Sharks' 7-4 loss to the New York Rangers on Monday. The veteran forward liked the way his team bounced back against the Islanders.
"That was a lot better," Pavelski said. "We still haven't had a whole lot of time together. It's going to keep coming and each night's a little different. We just forechecked a lot better tonight."
Brent Burns also had two assists giving both him and Thornton five on the season. Aaron Dell stopped 21 shots to win his NHL debut, with the last stop coming on Brock Nelson's slap shot in the final second.
"It took to the very last second to make it real there," Dell said. "I didn't really realize it until after I got off (the ice), so that was crazy. ... It's nice to get that one out of the way. Now we got to move forward here and finish the rest of this trip off."
The 27-year-old Dell, who appeared in 157 games in the CHL, ECHL and AHL, said he didn't change his approach for his first game in the NHL.
"I tried not to think about it too much," he said. "Just do the same things I always do and it really wasn't too bad. I've played enough games that I can just do the same thing every time."
Anthony Beauvillier and Anders Lee scored for the Islanders, and Jaroslav Halak finished with 24 saves. New York lost for the third time in four games.
"We could have put more shots on net tonight at certain spots in the game," Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. "But they are good hockey team. We're there 2-2 and we didn't get the bounce in the third."
The Islanders trailed 1-0 after getting outplayed in the first period, but picked it up in the second and took the lead with two goals 2:10 apart in the middle of the period.
Beauvillier, one of the Islanders' two 19-year-old rookies, tied it with his first career goal at 9:39. Driving to the net, his first shot was stopped by Dell, but he reached out and backhanded the rebound in the air over Dell's glove and in.
"Had a good bounce and it went in," Beauvillier said. "It felt good. Would have been better with a win. ... I'm just happy to have my first one so I can move on from here and get a second and third one."
Lee made it 2-1 with 8:11 left. Jason Chimera backhanded a pass toward the middle to Lee, who wristed it up over Dell's shoulder.
The Sharks tied it 2-2 with 1:57 left in the middle period as Thornton's shot deflected off Hertl's thigh and in.
The Sharks controlled the puck most of the opening 20 minutes, outshooting the Islanders 10-4. The Islanders failed to get a shot on goal over the last 12:47 of the period.
Karlsson got the Sharks on the scoreboard with his first of the season at 5:36. Tommy Wingels brought the puck around the net to the left side and passed it in front to Karlsson, who tipped it past Halak. It was Karlsson's 24th career goal in 122 games.
NOTES: F Joel Ward played in his 600th career game. ... F Patrick Marleau played in his 546th consecutive game. ... Pavelski played in his 418th career game. ... The Islanders lost at home to a Western Conference team for the first time since moving to Barclays Center before last season. After going 12-0-2 here against the West last year, New York won its home opener against Anaheim on Sunday night. ... Free agent signee Andrew Ladd has no points through his first four games in New York. ... Mathew Barzal, New York's other 19-year-old rookie, sat out for the third time in four games.
UP NEXT
Sharks: Continue a five-game road trip at defending champion Pittsburgh on Thursday night in the teams' first meeting since the Stanley Cup final.
Islanders: Continue a five-game homestand against Arizona on Friday night.
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Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
