Bo Horvat overtime winner lifts NY Islanders over Sharks and ends two-game skid

The New York Islanders found their response after two straight losses, leaning on timely goaltending and a clutch overtime goal to defeat the San Jose Sharks 2-1 on Saturday night at SAP Center.

Bo Horvat delivered the decisive moment 4:20 into overtime, finishing a breakaway created by rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer. Schaefer sent a perfectly timed pass ahead to Horvat, who slipped behind the Sharks defense before sliding a backhand through the five-hole of Yaroslav Askarov.

“That was a big overtime goal by Bo and a great play by Schaefer to give us that breakaway,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said.

The victory ends a brief two-game skid for the Isles and pushes the Islanders to 36-23-5 on the season, one point ahead of Pittsburgh for second in the Metro.

Tony DeAngelo opened the scoring midway through the first period when his wrist shot from the right circle deflected off Askarov’s glove and into the net. The Islanders controlled much of the early play but couldn’t extend the lead.

San Jose responded quickly in the second period. Just 33 seconds after the puck dropped, Sharks' star Macklin Celebrini tied the game with a wrist shot from the slot that beat Ilya Sorokin over the glove. From there, both goaltenders took over. Sorokin stopped 30 shots, including several key saves that preserved the tie, while Askarov finished with 32 saves for the Sharks.

“I thought we played a solid game all around,” said Jean-Gabriel Pageau. “Both goalies were really good. A lot of blocked shots from the guys. A lot of sacrifice.”

Saturday also marked the Islanders debut of Brayden Schenn, acquired from the St. Louis Blues at the trade deadline. Schenn logged over 17 minutes and made an immediate impression.

The win also continued a remarkable trend for New York. The Islanders remain undefeated in overtime this season, becoming just the second team in NHL history to win nine straight games decided in overtime.