Game Preview: Islanders at Sharks

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (27-20-14) AT SAN JOSE SHARKS (15-39-7)

10:30 PM ET | SAP CENTER

WATCH: MSGSN | MSG+ | ESPN+

LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 98.7FM

The New York Islanders are vying for a season-high five game win streak when they take on the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night at 10:30 p.m. ET.

The Islanders scored four unanswered goals to rally out of a 2-0 deficit in a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night. Kyle Palmieri (1G, 1A), JG Pageau, Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal (ENG) scored for the Isles and Adam Pelech had a two-point performance (2A), while Ilya Sorokin made 19 saves in the win. The victory extended their win streak to four games, which matches a season long set from Dec. 7 – 13.

Staying hot at the right time is helping the Islanders in their playoff push. Their four consecutive wins helped boost the Islanders to fourth place in the Metropolitan Division with 68 points. They threaten the third place Philadelphia Flyers (72 points) and the Islanders have two games in-hand over Philly.

The Sharks are coming off a 7-6 OT loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night on home ice. Anthony Duclair (2G), Fabian Zetterlund, Ryan Carpenter, Filip Zadina and Mikael Granlund scored for the Sharks to build a 6-3 lead 3:02 into the third period, but the Stars battled back and scored four unanswered goals including the game-winner in overtime. Though San Jose picked up a point in the loss, their winless skid was extended to eight games (0-6-2).

The Islanders fell 5-4 in OT to the Sharks on Dec. 5 at UBS Arena, but New York is looking to exact revenge, this time in the Shark tank.

MORNING SKATE UPDATES

- Ilya Sorokin is the confirmed starting netminder against the Sharks, per Head Coach Patrick Roy. Sorokin is 21-13-11 this season, along with a .910 SV% and a 3.03 GAA. He is 1-0-3 lifetime against the Sharks along with a .915 SV% and a 2.64 GAA. 

- Magnus Chrona is the expected starter against the Islanders. The 23-year-old netminder is 0-1-0 through three NHL games in his career, along with a 5.20 GAA and a .851 SV%.

ISLANDERS NOTES

- The Islanders announced injury updates on Tuesday, placing Scott Mayfield on LTIR with a lower-body injury and removing Hudson Fasching from IR.

- Over the span of their four-game win streak, the Islanders are averaging 4.25 GF/GP and allowing 2.00 goals per game, while their penalty kill has been 83.3%. Ilya Sorokin started between the pipes for all four games; the netminder allowed eight goals and posted a .921 SV% over that span.

- Bo Horvat’s third period goal held up as the game winner in Tuesday’s contest. He reached a new career high with GWGs, which also lead the team.

- With an empty net goal, Mathew Barzal extended his point streak to five games with six points (2G, 4A) over that span. His 303 career assists are good for 12th in franchise history, one behind Bob Bourne for 11th place.

- Dobson is expected to play in his 300th career NHL game on Thursday against the Sharks. The 23-year-old blueliner has been having a breakout season with the fifth most assists in the NHL (56) and second-most among defensemen. Dobson’s 63 points shattered his previous career-high 51 points, set in the 2021-22 season. 

"I feel like I've just been trying to find ways to continue to evolve my game each year and become a better player," Dobson said. "I felt like I had a great offseason where I came in with a lot of confidence and was really prepared. I feel like made good strides from game one to now I'm going to continue to keep getting better each year, that's my mindset."

Per Islanders team statistician Eric Hornick, Dobson is tied for fifth in franchise history with 56 assists on the season and has at least one point in 11 consecutive home games, which is the third-longest streak in club history by a defenseman.

SHARKS NOTES

- The Sharks rank eighth in the Pacific Division with 37 points. San Jose has not won a game since their 6-3 victory over the Calgary Flames on Feb. 15 and are 0-6-2 since.  

- Anthony Duclair has been heating up for the Sharks with eight points (5G, 3A) in his last four games. The 28-year-old winger had a four-point night (2G, 2A) against Dallas on Tuesday. He captured the team lead in goals (16). 

- William Eklund sustained an injury in the extra frame of Tuesday’s contest. Head Coach David Quinn did not have an update postgame and his status against the Islanders is to be determined. The 21-year-old forward racked up 28 points (10G, 18A) through 59 games this season. 

- Mikael Granlund leads the team with 38 points and 29 assists this season in his first year with the team. The 32-year-old forward is expected to play in his 800th NHL game on Saturday against the Ottawa Senators.

- The Sharks have struggled to produce offense this year as they average 2.2 goals per game, which ranks 31st in the NHL. Their defense ranks 32nd in the league, as San Jose allows 3.89 GA/GP.