Pageau has goal, assist for Islanders in win against Sharks

SAN JOSE --Jean-Gabriel Pageau had a goal and an assist for the New York Islanders in a 4-1 win against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Saturday.

Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves for the Islanders (36-27-8), who are 6-2-1 in the past nine games.
"I thought it took us a little bit to get our legs going, but once we did I thought we played pretty well," New York coach Lane Lambert said.
The Islanders moved into the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have two games in hand. The Penguins lost to the New York Rangers 6-0 on Saturday.
Kevin Labanc scored, and Kaapo Kahkonen made 29 saves for the Sharks (19-37-14), who have lost six straight (0-4-2).
"I think it was a back-and-forth game. I thought we matched their intensity," Labanc said. "We just didn't really get any bounces our way."
Labanc put San Jose up 1-0 at 7:31 of the first period. He had just come out of the penalty box when he joined the rush and scored on a shot from the high slot off the crossbar.
"I'm just trying to help the team win," Labanc said. "We're all trying to do our part and trying to play as hard as we can. Some guys are playing for contracts and some guys are playing for pride."

Pageau scored short-handed to tie it 1-1 at 16:08 when he skated around Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson in the left circle and beat Kahkonen glove side.
"I saw a little opening there," Pageau said. "I was just trying to take it to the net. I missed my first chance, but I was happy the second one went in."
Kyle Palmieri put New York ahead 2-1 at 2:18 of the second period when he tipped a Scott Mayfield shot from the blue line through Kahkonen's legs.
Ryan Pulock extended the lead to 3-1 on the power play at 5:24, scoring from the right point through traffic.
"To have a couple of days off there I think it took half the first period to find our legs a little bit, but once we did that I thought we had pretty good control of the game," Islanders forward Zach Parise said. "Outside [of] the initial puck drop, I thought we played a really solid game."

Parise pushed it to 4-1 at 5:19 of the third period when he redirected a point shot by Alexander Romanov.
"I thought the fourth goal really demoralized us," San Jose coach David Quinn said. "I thought, if we're able to get that next one, all of a sudden it's a 3-2 hockey game and then the third period may take on a different meaning to it but, unfortunately, we weren't able to get that."
NOTES: Noah Dobson had an assist to become the first Islanders defenseman with consecutive 40-point seasons since Nick Leddy from 2015-17. … Lou Lamoriello (1,399 wins) moved within one of becoming the second NHL general manager with 1,400 (David Poile, 1,525). … Sharks forward Martin Kaut had one shot and one hit in 11:13 in his first game since Feb. 25 after being recalled from San Jose of the American Hockey League on Saturday. … Kahkonen has not won since Feb. 12, going 0-7-2 in nine games. … San Jose goalie James Reimer chose not to wear a pride jersey during pregame warm-ups, when the Sharks recognized the LGBTQIA+ community, saying he was "choosing not to endorse something that is counter to my personal convictions."