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Islanders rally to defeat Sharks

Feb 18, 2008 - 11:28 PM By Doug Mittler PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) -- Iron man goaltender Evgeni Nabokov was bloodied and ultimately beaten by the suddenly surging New York Islanders.

Freddy Meyer scored midway through the third period to cap a comeback from a two-goal deficit as the Islanders extended their winning streak to four games with a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Monday.

Andy Hilbert and Mike Comrie also scored for the Islanders, who had lost seven straight games before the recent surge, which matches their longest winning streak of the season.

"We got a little bit of a reminder in the third period of what works and what doesn't," Islanders coach Ted Nolan said. "Give those guys a lot of credit."

Marcel Goc and Joe Thornton scored for the Sharks, who have lost the first two of a season-high eight-game road trip and four straight overall.

With the score tied at 2-2, Meyer skated down the right side and snapped a wrist shot from the top of the circle through a screen and past Nabokov at 11:19.

"I saw some open ice, skated in and fired the shot away," said Meyer, whose only other goal this season was into an empty net Thursday at Toronto. "It was fun coming back and beating a team like the Sharks. I'll take whatever I can get."

Nabokov, who has started 58 of the Sharks' 59 games, left with 9:51 left in the second period when a puck got between his mask and cut him in the face.

Thomas Greiss, who was called up from the minors prior to the game, took over in goal before Nabokov returned to start the third period.

"I saw the shot all the way, but when you're on your knees, there's no way you can react," Nabokov said. "I went back to the dressing room, and I didn't have a concussion or anything. Unfortunately, they scored on their first two shots (against me in the third period)."

The Sharks seemed to be in control when Thornton made it 2-0, putting a backhander from between the circles past New York netminder Rick DiPietro at 2:14 of the third.

The Islanders quickly tied it with two goals in a 59-second span. Hilbert poked home a rebound in the crease at 3:22 before Comrie tied it with a highlight-reel goal.

Comrie skated over the blue line, put the puck between the legs of defenseman Kyle McLaren, regained control and beat Nabokov for his 18th goal of the season.

"Sometimes, you get a defenseman going laterally on one of those plays," Comrie said. "It's one of those plays that work once in a while."

San Jose's chances for a comeback were hurt when Douglas Murray was called for a five-minute boarding penalty against Blake Comeau at 13:23 of the third. Murray also received a 10-minute game misconduct.

"It was a horrible call," Murray said. "I didn't hit him. I didn't even push him. I had my stick on his stick, and my bad luck was being right behind him."

Goc opened the scoring 2:35 into the second, skating from behind the net and putting a wrist shot from low in the right circle over the shoulder of DiPietro for his fifth of the season.

DiPietro finished with 28 saves, stopping 11 of 12 shots in the third period, including a late save on Thornton.

"Three mistakes cost us, and that was the game," Thornton said. "I thought we played pretty good for 50 minutes."

The loss, however, may prove costly to the Islanders, who lost Andy Sutton to a hamstring strain in the final minute. The defenseman will be re-evaluated on Tuesday.

The Islanders had a two-man advantage for a full two minutes midway through the first period and failed to get a shot on goal. San Jose had the same two-man edge later in the period when Meyer and Aaron Johnson were called for hooking, but also failed to score.

The Sharks again played without captain Patrick Marleau, who missed his fourth straight game with a groin injury. Marleau was placed on injured reserve prior to the contest.