Islanders claim road win over Sharks
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Thomas Greiss made 40 saves, leading the New York Islanders to a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night at SAP Center.
Greiss, a former Sharks goaltender, improved to 2-1-0 in three career starts against San Jose (1-3-0)
Anders Lee, Brock Nelson and Cal Clutterbuck scored for the Islanders (2-2-1).
Kevin Labanc scored for San Jose (1-3-0) and backup goaltender Aaron Dell made 20 saves in his first start of the season. He went 2-0-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average in two starts against the Islanders last season.
New York opened a 2-1 lead at 6:27 of the second period when Nelson took a pass from defenseman Calvin de Haan and beat Dell from the left circle with a wrist shot to the far side. The goal was Nelson's third of the season.
San Jose had the first 10 shots of the third period, but Greiss stopped them all.
Clutterbuck scored an empty-net goal at 18:10 of the third period.
Labanc gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead with a power play goal at 4:16 of the first period with de Haan in the penalty box for slashing him. Labanc scored when his wrist shot from the right circle on a rebound deflected off of Clutterbuck's skate and between Greiss' pads. The goal was Labanc's third of the season.
The Islanders pulled even when Lee scored on a tip-in of Adam Pelech's shot from above the right circle at 17:02 of the first period.
Islanders first-line right winger Jordan Eberle was in the lineup, two days after sustaining an upper body injury during a collision in practice. Eberle missed practice Friday but took part in the morning skate Saturday.
Clutterbuck returned to the lineup after missing three games with a lower body injury and skated on the fourth line.
NOTES: Sharks RW Joel Ward and D Dylan DeMelo were healthy scratches for the second straight game. F Barclay Goodrow was scratched for a fourth straight game. ... Sharks D Paul Martin, who had a setback after offseason ankle surgery, missed his second straight game while on injured reserve. Rookie D Joakim Ryan started again in Martin's place and skated with Brent Burns. ... Islanders C Alan Quine (upper body) is on the road trip and skating. He'll likely need a conditioning assignment with Bridgeport of the American Hockey League before being activated from injured reserve. ... Islanders LW Anthony Beauvillier and D Ryan Pulock and Dennis Seidenberg were healthy scratches.