Tag: new york islanders

New York Islanders Matthew Schaefer (48) scores against the San Jose Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov (30) in the second period at UBS Arena in Elmont Tue Oct 21, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

ELMONT, NY. — The San Jose Sharks (0-4-2) played their best game yet of the season but fell 4-3 to the New York Islanders (3-3-0) at UBS Arena on Tuesday night and remain at a zero-win record.

San Jose had a promising start, with right wing Collin Graf making a shorthanded goal assisted by center Ty Dellandrea 8:29 into the first period, putting them up 1-0. Graf stood at the blue line and executed on getting it off as quickly as possible.

But that good start was short-lived, as Islanders center Bo Horvat less than a minute later made a power play goal assisted by center Mathew Barzal and defenseman Matthew Schaefer to tie the game. Then center Casey Cizikas scored an unassisted goal at 10:30 to put the Islanders up 2-1.

Graf called it “like the worst thing ever, basically”, to fall to the Islanders.

“I mean, it sucks especially when you play, like I thought we played well especially in a good road game and to you know, play really well at the start of the period and still be down is sort of frustrating,” he said.

“But I think as a group we still battled through the second and third period and we just came up a little bit short.”

At 14:16 into the first period, Sharks right wing Adam Gaudette scored, assisted by center Michael Misa and Graf to tie the game at 2-2. Misa, the second-overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, said it was a “good play” for Graf to find him in the middle of the pass and that he saw Guadette coming down and hit it over.

“It sucks, you know, we’re still trying to find out first win, it’s frustrating,” said Misa.

“I think we play well overall, we tried to play back there in the end, but you know, we’re just going to keep pushing.”

The Islanders came out on top at the end of the period as left wing Emil Heineman made a power play goal assisted by left wing Anders Lee and right wing Max Shabanov at 19:30.

In the second period, Schaefer scored assisted by left wing Anthony Duclair and center Kyle Palmieri at 6:38 to put the Islanders up 4-2. That set off “Matthew Schaefer” chants for the 18-year-old No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Sharks center Macklin Celebrini scored at 10:16 into the third period, assisted by defensemen Dmitry Orlov and Mario Ferraro, cutting the Islanders’ lead to 4-3. But the Sharks offense faltered after that.

Despite the team’s 0-4-2 record, Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky had a positive outlook for the next game.

“Today was probably I think, our most complete game, even probably better than Vegas in a sense. We had some really good looks in the offensive zone. It’s going to start going in, it’s going to start turning. We’re going to stick together,” said Warsofsky.

“I told the group after, stick together, and just keep getting better and get a little bit better tomorrow and be ready to get our first win at MSG.”

The Sharks continue their four-game road trip facing the New York Rangers (3-4-1) at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. The puck drops at 4 p.m. PT.

Sharks celebrating first goal against the Islanders during the second period at SAP Center in San Jose on Sat Mar 8, 2025 ( San Jose Sharks Media)

By Fernando Abarca

Back at the tank… we all missed it as the Tank recorded more than 17,000 in attendance

SAN JOSE, CA — It’s a great feeling to return to the tank. After the noise of the Four Nations tournament, some games on the road, and all the action around the trade deadline, Sharks hockey was absent for more than a month. Now, the Sharks are back at home, hosting the New York Islanders, who are in the hunt to make the playoffs.

The New York Rangers come to the tank eager to add another victory when they played the Winnipeg Jets with a 3-2 score. Coincidentally, against the best team in the West. On the other hand, the Sharks played the Avalanche last Wednesday night, when things did not really go well as it has been a little usual lately.

The Islanders started the night red hot with two goals during the first period when New York showed business and scored the 1-0 by Jean Gabriel Pageau, ten minutes passed the first one, New York was granted a power-play after a penalty, Anthony Duclair assisted by Simon Holmstrom, Noah Dobson. First intermission marked to an end with the visitors ahead by two.

Moving on to the 2nd period, the Sharks recovered depth and strength. Indeed, it is what it showed with a lone goal by Nikolai Kovalenko with beautiful assists by Shakir Mukhamadullin and Macklin Celebrini.

The locals pushed for more aggressiveness, pressure, and physicality. It was not enough time to score another one, but it seemed the Sharks pushed and found ways to net the equalizer at the tank. The second never came.

During the third, the Sharks once again demonstrated their inefficiencies and weaknesses, and the lack of chemistry. It is not a surprise against a team that is fighting for a playoff spot in a tough division, the difference is noticeable.

New York netted two goals in a matter of two minutes, between each one, goals orchestrated by Anders Lee and Adam Boqvist in the early third.

New York took advantage of the mental aspects of the game, and was displayed as the Sharks showed less intensity, unable to fight back, and unable to retrieve the puck. Until later in the game, the Sharks fought back to score a second power play goal. leaving the game 4-2 for the visiting Islanders.

The people of San Jose responded by attending the game, as the local crowd of 17,435 waits to see the team winning again, the Teal will have a chance to do it on Tuesday night against a team of roughly the same, the Nashville Predators at home.