Takeaways: Islanders Earn Point in 3-2 Shootout Loss to Sharks

The New York Islanders earned a point for the second straight game, but their winless stretch reached four games with a 3-2 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Monday night.

Ivar Stenberg scored the lone goal of an eight-round shootout — the longest in the NHL this season — to settle a goaltending duel between Ilya Sorokin and Yaroslav Askarov.

Sorokin stopped San Jose’s first seven shooters before Stenberg beat him with a far-side wrist shot, while Askarov denied all eight Islanders attempts. Sorokin made 37 saves on 39 shots through regulation and overtime, including six stops on Macklin Celebrini. Askarov stopped 30 of 32 shots.

“We just got to be better in front of him [Sorokin],” Islanders captain Bo Horvat said. “We can't be giving up 40 shots a night. It's just not sustainable for us. Not sustainable for Sorokin. He's been unbelievable for us, time and time again. And we got to make it easier on him.”

Ben Hutton scored his first goal as an Islander, while Victor Eklund extended his goal streak to three games with a power-play tally. Stenberg and Tyler Toffoli scored for San Jose in regulation, erasing Islanders leads of 1-0 and 2-1.

“I thought tonight, we were better for stretches, but not long enough,” Islanders coach Pete DeBoer said.

Hutton Scores First Goal as an Islander

Hutton opened the scoring at 6:14 of the first period in his second game with the Islanders after signing a one-year deal Thursday.

Horvat carried the puck into the San Jose zone, hit the brakes and found Simon Holmstrom, who fed Hutton at the back post for the opening goal.

Hutton finished with four shots on goal and two hits in 14:28 of ice time.

“I thought he was really solid tonight,” DeBoer said. “I didn't feel we got really solid play from a lot of guys tonight for 60 minutes, but I think he was one of them that gave us that.”

Horvat’s secondary assist gave him 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in his first 17 games of the season.

San Jose’s sustained first-period pressure paid off with 3:19 remaining. Ty Dellandrea stopped Logan Stanley’s clearing attempt along the boards, allowing Toffoli to collect the puck and fire a shot that Stenberg tipped past Sorokin to tie the score 1-1.

Eklund Extends Goal Streak

Eklund put the Islanders back in front on the power play just 71 seconds into the second period.

Brayden Schenn took a pass from Matthew Schaefer and found Eklund in the slot, where the rookie quickly beat Askarov for his sixth goal of the season and a goal in his third straight game. Eklund’s power-play goal came on his first man advantage with the Islanders top unit - and the 20-year-old also led the team with five hits. 

Schaefer’s secondary assist was the 48th of his career, tying Bobby Orr and Scott Stevens for the seventh-most assists by a teenage defenseman in NHL history. It also gave him 76 career points, tying Rick Hampton for fourth among teenage defensemen, behind Phil Housley (132), Rasmus Dahlin (84) and Ray Bourque (79).

Toffoli answered with 7:48 remaining in the second period when his shot deflected off Adam Pelech and past Sorokin to tie the score 2-2. The goal was Toffoli’s fifth of the season and his second point of the night.

Special Teams Take Over in Third Period

The Islanders had an opportunity to regain the lead when Mason Marchment received a double minor for roughing in the third period, but penalties to Ondrej Palat and Anthony Duclair on the same play turned the power play into a four-on-three penalty kill.

Sorokin helped the Islanders navigate the shorthanded stretch, notably denying Celebrini alone in the slot. Neither team broke through during the sequence, and the score remained tied through the rest of regulation and overtime.

The Islanders finished 1-for-4 on the power play and killed all four Sharks power plays.

“We both played smart for stretches, and we both played really badly for stretches,” DeBoer said. “The self-inflicted parts of the game where we just didn't stick with it cost us.”

Next Game

The Islanders continue their three-game California road trip against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night. Puck drop is set for 10 p.m. EST, with coverage on ESPN+.