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Brock Nelson scored the go-ahead goal about midway through the second period Saturday night as the New York Islanders beat the San Jose Sharks 4-1 in Elmont, N.Y.

Mathew Barzal scored earlier in the second while Noah Dobson and Ryan Pulock added goals for the Islanders, who snapped a two-game losing streak but remained in last place in the Metropolitan Division and seven points out of the second wild-card spot. Goalie Marcus Hogberg made 18 saves.

Barclay Goodrow scored to briefly tie the game in the second for the Sharks, who have fallen into last place in the Pacific Division by losing 16 of 20 (4-15-1). Goalie Alexandar Georgiev recorded 27 saves.

The Islanders outshot the Sharks 19-6 through the scoreless first 22-plus minutes before the teams combined for three goals in just 1:55.

Barzal opened the scoring with an unassisted goal at 8:47. Sharks defenseman Jake Walman tried getting around Anders Lee but lost control of the puck, which bounced to Barzal. The Islanders’ center raced up the ice and managed to go from his forehand to his backhand and beat Georgiev despite being hooked from behind by Cody Ceci.

The Sharks tied the score 1:15 later. Goodrow emerged with the puck from a scrum near center ice and appeared to be looking for Collin Graf in front of the net. But Graf kept skating out of the shooting lane, and Goodrow’s shot sailed beyond Hogberg’s stick shoulder.

Nelson capped an end-to-end rush to give the Islanders the lead again just 40 seconds later. Kyle Palmieri fed Nelson in stride and Nelson couldn’t fully control the puck, but he managed to flick it beyond Georgiev’s glove.

Dobson, who had a goal waved off in the first due to goaltender interference on Kyle MacLean, scored from the blue line with 26.2 seconds left in the period, before fellow defenseman Pulock added another insurance goal from the blue line 1:03 into the third.

–Field Level Media