Following a strong showing against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, the New York Islanders were looking to extend their win streak to three at home against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, October 21.
The Sharks had the first real chance of the evening: a passing play from Macklin Celebrini to Will Smith, which was thwarted by Adam Pelech and Ilya Sorokin. In the early minutes of the game, the Islanders looked significantly slower than the young Sharks team. Former Islander Nick Leddy found a path to Sorokin, but couldn’t get his shot on goal. The Sharks had a much stronger start to the game, highlighted by a shot from the point by Mario Ferraro, blocked by Kyle Palmieri, and a shot from Adam Gaudette, which Sorokin trapped.
Very few of the Islanders’ passes connected early in the game. Maxim Tsyplakov fell victim to another bad read, nearly allowing a giveaway.
Ferraro took a two-minute interference minor at 7:55. A takeaway by Ty Dellandrea early on the Islanders’ power play sent him and Collin Graf rushing up the ice. Graf beat Sorokin’s right pad to the punch, scoring his first goal of the season shorthanded.
After finally managing to keep the puck on their sticks, the Islanders found some zone time at the end of their power play chance. A great heads-up pass from Mat Barzal, who sent the puck by Palmieri, to Bo Horvat ended up in the back of the net, beating Yaroslav Askarov to tie the game.
Horvat on the power play!#Isles | @Ford pic.twitter.com/dHpgXLzKg8
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 21, 2025
While Horvat’s goal was being announced, a bad pass from Sam Dickinson, who was trying to escape from behind the Sharks’ net, ended up on Casey Cizikas’ stick. The Islanders’ forward easily lifted it past Askarov to give himself his first goal of the season and the Islanders the lead.
Cizikas lights the lamp!#Isles | @Ford pic.twitter.com/46soP2vYlo
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 21, 2025
The Sharks found some pressure in the final few minutes of the period. With Graf able to successfully push the puck out of the trapezoid, Michael Misa earned his first NHL point with the primary assist on Gaudette’s tying goal.
Scott Mayfield was sent off for interference against Misa at 16:15. J.G. Pageau fought for a shorthanded chance, drawing a penalty against Dickinson for holding. With just about 30 seconds remaining in the period, Anders Lee attempted to slip the puck past Askarov from the short side, but it was ultimately Emil Heineman whose stuff-in attempt gave the Islanders the late lead to end the period.
HEINEMAN ON THE POWER PLAY! #LGI | @FORD pic.twitter.com/DLTVx0tJEz
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 21, 2025
The Sharks found themselves in control of the early moments of the second period. Barzal eventually found his way up the left side of the ice, but the shot went behind the net. Following a pass in front by Anthony Duclair, Matthew Schaefer wristed it over Askarov’s glove, earning his second goal of the season.
Schaefer now has seven points in six games played, with Tuesday being his first multi-point game. Lee said, “it’s pretty incredible . . . but it feels like . . . it’s just who he is, he’s kind of had his game from the get-go.”
MATTHEW SCHAEFER! His first career multi-point game! 🤩
Is this kid good or what? pic.twitter.com/0YIvsIe5hV
— NHL (@NHL) October 22, 2025
Much of the second period was back and forth following Schaefer’s goal. An insanely strong shot by Tyler Toffoli sailed by Sorokin but just clipped the crossbar, leaving the Islanders with their two-goal lead intact. At 12:46, Vincent Desharnais was sent to the box for tripping Jonathan Drouin, who, despite not showing up on the stat sheet, had been putting on a solid performance.
The game continued its back-and-forth nature throughout the second, but the Islanders ultimately went to their locker room up two goals.
The third period saw a relatively slow start for both teams. Schaefer found the Islanders’ first really good shot of the period, but sent the puck straight to Askarov’s glove. Following some defensive play for the Islanders, they were able to gain some time in the Sharks’ zone. Another poor giveaway by Tsyplakov ended that possession frame. Just before the midpoint of the period, the Sharks maintained consistent pressure on Sorokin, keeping him and the Islanders’ defense busy. The Sharks had tallied 31 shots through 50 minutes of play, with only two goals to show for it. Despite those two early goals, Sorokin was having himself a night.
However, with Pelech and Ryan Pulock focused on Toffoli in front of the net, there was enough traffic for Celebrini to net one past Sorokin.
MACK!! 🦈
The @SanJoseSharks have made this a one-goal game! pic.twitter.com/mr87S3fsRU
— NHL (@NHL) October 22, 2025
Almost immediately following, Mayfield tripped Smith, sending him off for two minutes. Down by a goal, the Sharks looked determined on their man advantage. A giveaway left Simon Holmstrom all alone in front of Askarov, but he failed to score, possibly getting a bit too fancy with his stick handling.
With five minutes left, the Islanders looked to keep Askarov in net. After a few good looks, the Sharks were finally able to pull Askarov with just over two minutes remaining. Despite their best efforts, the Sharks remain winless while the Islanders earned their third straight win.
Schaefer confidently stated that nothing changes mentally for the team now that they’re on a winning streak: He doesn’t “think that was [their] best game . . . [but they] fought and got the win, and [they’ll] move on from it, but [they’ll] learn from it as well.” Schaefer and Patrick Roy credited Sorokin with the main reason the team won. “We can’t let that many shots up for him, and . . . have him save us every night,” said Schafer. Roy claims that Sorokin is confident in himself, which Roy stated is a crucial attribute for a goaltender.
The Islanders have now won three straight games in regulation and will look to continue their streak at home on Thursday, October 23, against the Detroit Red Wings.
