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Hot Sharks hope to extend Islanders' skid

Oct 29, 2011 - 2:14 PM (Sports Network) - After different starts to the season, both the Sharks and Islanders now appear to be headed in the directions most expected.

San Jose tries to stretch its winning streak to five straight games, while New York hopes to avoid losing a fifth contest in a row this evening in a battle at Nassau Coliseum.

Pacific Division champions a season ago, the Sharks reached the Western Conference finals before being ousted in five games by the Vancouver Canucks. It was their fourth straight division title, but the Sharks stumbled out of the gate in 2011-12 by losing three in a row following a season-opening victory over the Phoenix Coyotes.

San Jose has countered with four victories in a row, including a 4-2 win last night over Detroit, which it eliminated in a thrilling seven-game series in last year's conference semifinals.

The Islanders, meanwhile, failed to reach the postseason for a fourth straight year following a 73-point campaign in 2010-11, but ripped off three straight wins after losing its season opener.

However, New York has since lost four in a row, netting five goals in that span. The Isles will try to avoid losing five straight tonight for the first time since a six-game drought from Dec. 2-13 of last year.

The Sharks led last year's playoff series with the Red Wings 3-0 before Detroit answered with three wins in a row. San Jose avoided a collapse with a 3-2 win in the deciding game and won another close one between the foes last night.

Joe Thornton scored twice -- the go-ahead tally during a three-goal second period and an empty-netter -- and Ryane Clowe and Patrick Marleau also lit the lamp in the win.

"It was a battle of the big boys," Sharks head coach Todd McClellan said. "Big players ended up scoring and contributing in the game."

Antti Niemi stopped 30 shots in the win for San Jose, which has won the first four games of a six-game swing that ends on Monday versus the Rangers.

"You know, even the three we lost in a row we played well. We just weren't scoring, but we had great opportunities," Thornton said. "Now we're burying the pucks and getting wins and it's a good feeling."

The Islanders were not able to take advantage of their chances on Thursday in Pittsburgh, blowing a two-goal lead before dropping a 3-2 shootout decision. It was the first time on their losing streak that the Isles gained a point though.

Frans Nielsen and Matt Martin notched the goals for New York, which lost at home to the Penguins on Tuesday.

Evgeni Nabokov, who spent his first 10 NHL seasons with the Sharks, started in net for the Islanders and stopped 30-of-32 shots, but was replaced by Rick DiPietro in the shootout. In his season debut, DiPietro just missed turning aside Evgeni Malkin's tally in the breakaway session and both P.A. Parenteau and John Tavares failed on their subsequent attempts.

Nabokov said afterwards that he was bothered by a lower-body injury after the first period, leading to head coach Jack Capuano's decision to go with DiPietro.

"(Nabokov) was fatigued. He wasn't feeling well, so I had to put Ricky in," said Capuano.

"If one guy couldn't go, I've got all the faith in Ricky. Ricky was great and he actually almost had Malkin's [shot]."

Nabokov's injury will likely prevent him from facing his former club for the first time and DiPietro could get his first start of the season tonight.

The Sharks have won three straight and five of the last six meetings with the Islanders. They also have five wins and a pair of ties in their last eight trips to Long Island.