San Jose, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Logan Couture netted the game-winning goal with 8:10 remaining in the third period to lift the San Jose Sharks to a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday.
Tomas Hertl scored on the power play, James Sheppard tallied a late goal and Antti Niemi turned aside 19 shots for the Sharks, who have registered at least a point in four straight games.
Kyle Okposo supplied New York's lone marker and Jaroslav Halak made 28 saves in his team's third straight loss.
"I thought we played a pretty solid game, but they got a lucky bounce to go up 2-1," Okposo said. "It happens sometimes, but we need to do more to win."
Marc-Edouard Vlasic sent a pass across the blue line to Justin Braun, who had his slap pass re-directed into the top of the net by Couture at the right side of the cage with 8:10 remaining.
"I knew I was trying to tip it and get it up. I was lucky it got in," said Couture. "Great look by Braun."
Andrew Desjardins slipped a cross-ice pass to Adam Burish and Sheppard finished off the play by taking Sheppard's pass through the slot and tipping the puck over a sprawled Halak with 4:25 to play.
Johnny Boychuk entered the offensive zone and dropped a pass back to Okposo, who made a nifty deke around a defender and beat Niemi with a quick wrister from the left side 8:04 into the game.
The Sharks tied the game just over two minutes later on the power play. Matt Nieto forced a turnover behind the net, Tommy Wingels gathered the loose puck and Hertl one-timed Wingels' pass into the back of the net.
Game Notes
Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic returned to the lineup after missing four games with an upper-body injury ... New York dropped to 0-4-0 when they score less than three goals ... San Jose has outscored opponents, 15-2, in the first period this season ... The Islanders downed the Sharks, 4-3, in a shootout on Oct. 16.
