SAN JOSE – Patrick Marleau’s redirection of a Brent Burns slapshot made the difference Friday afternoon as the San Jose Sharks made it three straight wins at home by edging the New York Islanders 3-2 at sold-out SAP Center.
The homestand continues Saturday at 7:30pm against the Anaheim Ducks.
The Sharks carried a 2-1 lead into the third period before the Islanders pulled goaltender Thomas Greiss in the closing 81 seconds and pulled even when Nick Eddy scored from the left circle with 58 seconds to go for the 2-2 tie.
The Sharks came right back with a strong forecheck and earned the win with 22.5 seconds left when Burns’ scorcher for the right point was tipped home by Marleau as he crossed the slot.
Goaltender Aaron Dell, making his third start in the net in his first NHL campaign, improved to 2-1-1 with 26 saves.
“One of the craziest ones of have been a part of,” Dell said of the final minute of play in the third period.
Although the Sharks had an 11-5 edge in shots on net in the first period, New York went into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead.
The Isles converted their lone power play of the game when Anders Lee deflected home a Josh Bailey shot from the high slot 3:59 into action.
San Jose earned a penalty shot when Joe Thornton was hooked while on a breakaway approaching Greiss with 13:04 gone in the first. Thornton’s bid for an equalizer sailed wide left.
San Jose posted two goals within a span of 34 seconds in the second period for the 2-1 advantage.
Matt Nieto sent a long pass to Chris Tierney at the Islander blueline five minutes into the period. Tierney was able to slide the puck behind an advancing Joe Pavelski for the hard shot from the right circle.
“I thought (Tierney) saw me coming,” Pavelski said of the tying effort.
San Jose needed one more shift to take the 2-1 lead.
Kevin Labanc’s first-ever NHL assist was a long headman pass to Burns. The defenseman cracked a hard shot from outside the blueline that skimmed off the stick of New York’s Calvin de Nann and lined past Geiss at the 5:43 mark.
