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Saturday, Nov. 18 10:00pm ET
Damphousse passes Bobby Orr on assist list | |||||
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SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- Owen Nolan is finally feeling good, and the San Jose Sharks are looking great. Nolan, playing for the first time in three weeks, scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period to spark the Sharks to a 5-3 victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday night. San Jose's captain and leading scorer last season added two assists in his first game since taking time off to rest a strained abdominal muscle. Playing in front of the home crowd for the first time this season, Nolan had an immediate impact. "It was a big game because we knew we had to play well when he came back," said Jeff Friesen, who had a goal and an assist. "He's the heart and soul of this team." Vincent Damphousse had four assists to pass Bobby Orr for 42nd place on the NHL's career list as the Sharks posted their 10th victory in 14 games. Damphousse, who assisted on each of the Sharks' last four goals, also tied the San Jose franchise record for assists in a game. San Jose's top line of Nolan, Damphousse and Friesen scorched the Islanders for nine points, while Mike Ricci and Shawn Heins contributed power-play goals and Scott Thornton added another goal. But even after a strong offensive performance, Nolan saw plenty of room for fine-tuning. "We had some nice team play and I was able to lend a hand, but overall I wasn't happy," Nolan said. "My defense was weak. I gave up too many turnovers. I wasn't playing smart, and it was the small things I wasn't happy about." Nolan played for the first time since Oct. 27, and top defenseman Marcus Ragnarsson also returned from a strained knee ligament that kept him out of the last seven games. Though Nolan's return was an emotional boost, Damphousse led the way with another evening of crisp passing. He has 15 assists this season. "I saw some good opportunities out there and made the passes to set things up," Damphousse said. Evgeni Nabokov stopped 24 shots and became the league's winningest goalie as San Jose, which hasn't lost at home since opening night, improved to 10-2-2 in its last 14 despite two lengthy road trips during that span. Nabokov wasn't sharp, but he improved to 11-2-2 and passed Patrick Roy for the league lead in victories. Nabokov essentially has taken the Sharks' No. 1 goalie spot from Steve Shields with his fine play. The Sharks, who trail Pacific Division-leading Phoenix by two points, play eight of the next 10 at home. The Islanders, who lost their fourth straight, played without a captain after Kenny Jonsson relinquished the "C" before the game. Jonsson, who became the Isles' eighth captain before last season, and New York coach Butch Goring said the decision was mutual. Brad Isbister scored his ninth goal for New York, which entered the third period with a 3-3 tie but couldn't hold on as the Nolan-Damphousse-Friesen line produced two goals. Dave Scatchard and Jeff Toms also scored for the Islanders, while Wade Flaherty stopped 28 shots in the loss. "Our penalty-killers didn't do the job," said Claude Lapointe, one of the Islanders' three alternate captains. "You can't give up those goals against good teams like that." Still, the Islanders managed just one goal in their previous three games, so their spirited effort in the midst of a three-game California road trip was encouraging to Goring. "We played with some energy and some emotion," said Goring, who huddled with Islanders GM Mike Milbury after the game. "We did some of the things that I think this team is capable of doing. I think we were a little unlucky not to come away with a win here tonight." Game notesDamphousse matched Orr with his 642nd assist on Nolan's third-period goal, then passed the Boston Bruins great by setting up Friesen's goal. The last Sharks player with four assists in a game was also Damphousse, who did it Oct. 4, 1999 against Chicago. ... To make room for Nolan and Ragnarsson on the active roster, center Mark Smith (concussion) and defenseman Bobby Dollas (broken bone in hand) were placed on the injured list. ... The game was delayed with 3:41 to play when an unidentified mascot dislodged a pane of glass in a rink corner. About two dozen mascots were on hand at San Jose Arena for an NHL promotion. | ALSO SEE NHL Scoreboard NY Islanders Clubhouse San Jose Clubhouse Jonsson drops Islanders captaincy before game against Sharks
RECAPS New Jersey 3 Carolina 2
San Jose 5
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