Sharks Snap Losing Streak With 3-2 Win Over the Islanders

The San Jose Sharks returned home looking to snap a five-game losing streak against the struggling New York Islanders. Goals from Ivar Stenberg and Tyler Toffoli helped the Sharks push the game into a shootout, where Stenberg was able to net the game-winner off the back of a phenomenal performance by Yaroslav Askarov.

33-year-old defenseman Ben Hutton pinched at the right time, finding some open space alongside Yaroslav Askarov to slot the puck past him and give the Islanders a 1-0 lead just 6:14 into the game. Bo Horvat continued his track record strong play against the Sharks, recording his 34th point against the team in teal by picking up a secondary assist on the play

Ivar Stenberg tied things up with a deflection off of a Tyler Toffoli shot from the faceoff circle. The goal was the result of a nice forechecking play by Ty Dellandrea. Horvat then saved a goal for the Islanders with less than a minute remaining in the period, chipping the puck away from the goal line just milliseconds before it crossed the plane.

As the returning Alexander Wennberg sat in the penalty box for tripping Simon Holmstrom, Victor Eklund scored his first goal against the Sharks to make it 2-1 just over a minute into the middle frame of play.

Just as a power play opportunity expired, Tyler Toffoli scored his fifth of the season, with the puck bouncing off of Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech, to once again tie the game at 12:11 in the second period. 

Seconds before the end of the second period, Barclay Goodrow dropped the gloves with Mitchell Chaffee after a major scrum at the end of the prior play. At the other end of the ice, Ty Dellandrea and Kyle MacLean had a scrap of their own.

A hit by Eklund on Kiefer Sherwood was reviewed for a five-minute major near the midway point of the final period, but the only player penalized was Mason Marchment who got a double-minor for roughing after numerous uppercuts to Eklund in the aftermath of the hit. 

Right before Marchment's first penalty expired, Ondrej Palat and Anthony Duclair each took a minor penalty, giving the Sharks' a full two-minute 4-on-3 power play but nothing came of it.

Once again, sixty minutes wouldn't be enough to decide a winner and the game went into overtime with both teams looking to leave their losing streak in the rearview mirror. Despite numerous chances by both teams, neither were able to beat the opposing goaltender and the game proceeded to a shootout.

After seven perfect rounds by the goaltenders, Ivar Stenberg not only broke the deadlock, but secured a 3-2 victory for the Sharks to snap their five-game losing streak.