The San Jose Sharks hope sticking with the process will help them break a five-game skid when they host the New York Islanders on Monday night.
San Jose dropped a 4-3 decision to the Stars in Dallas on Saturday. The Sharks have not won since a 3-2 home victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 29 (0-5-0).
“I thought we did some good things again, some positives, but unfortunately come up on the losing end again,” said Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky of the effort in Dallas. “We’re making strides these last two games.
“We gotta stick to the process and just continue to work and get better, and the results will come.”
Will Smith had a goal and an assist; Ivar Stenberg and Michael Misa also scored. Alex Nedeljkovic made 26 saves in the loss.
Captain Macklin Celebrini had three assists for the Sharks, who are 3-7-0 over their last 10.
“I think the attention to detail, the will to work every single shift, I think it’s been there a lot these last two days,” said Nedeljkovic, who is 3-3-1 in seven starts this season. “I don’t think we can say that, honestly, about the couple of games before that. So it’s a different feeling of frustration. Obviously it (stinks) losing. I’m not going to sugarcoat that.”
Celebrini paces the Sharks with 14 assists and 21 points through 17 games.
Yaroslav Askarov, Monday’s expected starter, is 4-8-0 with a 3.35 goals-against average and an .885 save percentage in 12 games this season. In two career appearances against the Islanders, Askarov is 0-1-1 with a .902 save percentage and a 2.95 GAA.
Monday marks the first of two meetings this season. New York swept last season’s series, winning 4-3 at home on Oct. 21 and 2-1 in overtime at San Jose on March 7.
The Islanders travel to California after squandering a two-goal third-period lead in Saturday’s 5-4 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils.
“You got to put points in the bank all kinds of different ways,” said Islanders coach Pete DeBoer, pointing to the positives. “So did we deserve two (against New Jersey)? Probably not.
“Your goalie’s part of your team, and he was our best player (on Saturday).”
Simon Holmstrom tallied a goal and an assist; Matthew Schaefer, Victor Eklund and Anthony Duclair also scored for New York, which has dropped three straight (0-2-1).
Captain Bo Horvat chipped in a pair of helpers while Ilya Sorokin made a season-high 45 saves for the Islanders, who are 3-3-1 on the road this season.
Horvat leads the team with seven goals, and Schaefer paces the club with 11 helpers as the pair share the team lead with 16 points apiece through 16 games.
Sorokin, expected to be between the pipes in San Jose, is 6-4-1 in 11 starts this season, with a 2.64 GAA and a .910 save percentage. The 31-year-old is 5-0-3 in eight career appearances against the Sharks, with a .927 save percentage and a 2.31 GAA.
Monday opens a three-game California road trip for the Islanders, which takes them to Los Angeles on Thursday and concludes in Anaheim on Saturday.
