Sharks rally from 3 down in 3rd, defeat Islanders on late OT goal

ELMONT, N.Y. -- William Eklund scored with 4.3 seconds remaining in overtime for the San Jose Sharks, who rallied from three goals down in the third period to defeat the New York Islanders 5-4 at UBS Arena on Tuesday.

Eklund, who also had two assists, took a drop pass from Mikael Granlund in the top of the right circle and beat Ilya Sorokin under his left arm on a rush.

“I was just exhausted, to be honest,” Eklund said. “I was just trying to get some speed there and Granlund made an unbelievable play to me, and I just tried to rip it through the net and it went in.”

Tomas Hertl scored a hat trick, and Kaapo Kahkonen made 35 saves for the Sharks (7-17-2), who have won two of their past three on a current six-game road trip after losing their first 10 games away from home this season.

“We’re happy about this group because we’ve gone through a lot of stuff this year," Hertl said. "This [win] shows me something. We could do it. Last game, we almost came back and against a really good team (6-5 loss at the New York Rangers on Sunday). We actually finished today, so feeling really good.”

Mike Reilly had a goal and an assist, and Simon Holmstrom and Bo Horvat each had two assists for the Islanders (10-7-7), who had won two in a row. Sorokin made 32 saves.

“It’s unacceptable. That’s all that needs to be said,” New York forward Brock Nelson said. “Up two at home, four or five minutes left, we should be putting two points in the bank and moving on. ... For whatever reason this is costing us too many times.”

It was the third time in four games that the Islanders blew a third-period lead. They allowed three goals in the third in a 5-4 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Nov. 28, and gave up the tying goal with three seconds left in regulation before rallying for a 5-4 overtime win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 30.

On the season, New York has been outscored 34-17 in the third period.

"I don't have any words for you on that," Islanders captain Anders Lee said. "It's just bad. It's really bad."

Kevin Labanc scored his first of the season on a redirection to get the Sharks to within 4-2 at 11:55 of the third.

“That second goal really gave us a ray of hope,” San Jose coach David Quinn said. “Really good job by that line, the (Nico) Sturm, Labanc, (Justin) Bailey line, establishing the forecheck, getting the puck up top, and (Nikita) Okhotiuk bombs it, and we get screens.”

Hertl cut it to 4-3 at 16:49 with Kahkonen on the bench for an extra skater. Granlund's shot from the point deflected off a couple of players to Hertl, who scored over Sorokin's left pad at the right post.

Hertl then scored another goal with Kahkonen on the bench to tie it 4-4 at 18:30, tapping in a backdoor pass from Eklund at the right post.

Julien Gauthier gave New York a 1-0 lead at 9:28 of the first period, scoring glove side with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle.

Hertl tied it 1-1 at 12:19. Anthony Duclair won a battle for the puck behind the net and passed out front to Hertl, who had skated in off the bench and beat Sorokin high glove side from the slot.

Nelson responded to put the Islanders back in front 2-1 at 5:27 of the second period. He scored blocker side off the far post from the right circle on a power play.

Reilly made it 3-1 with a short-handed goal at 5:17 of the third period, beating Kahkonen with a slap shot from the left circle off a pass from Holmstrom.

Ryan Pulock extended the lead to 4-1 at 8:27 with a one-timer from the top of the left circle on a power play.

“I saw a lot of good things," Islanders coach Lane Lambert said. "The first period we had a lot of scoring chances. Second period, we were going to the net, crashing to the net pretty hard. We scored a couple of power-play goals and a short-handed goal. We had the game under control with eight and a half minutes left. To lose that hockey game is a sin.”

NOTES: It was Hertl's sixth NHL hat trick and first since Jan. 8, 2022. ... Kahkonen is 4-1-0 in his past five starts after beginning the season 0-5-0. ... New York is 1-5 in overtime this season. ... Horvat extended his point streak to four games (two goals, four assists). ... Holmstrom's two assists were his first of the season.