The San Jose Sharks felt they might have played their most complete game of the season on Tuesday, but they’re going to have a hard time turning around their season if they continue to make too many mistakes in the defensive zone.

The Sharks peppered New York Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin with 29 shots in the first two periods, but were their own worst enemy at times, especially in front of their own net, in a 4-3 loss at UBS Arena.

With the game tied 2-2, the Sharks were caught looking at the puck on a power play goal by Islanders forward Emil Heineman late in the first period and also on a second period goal at even strength by rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer.

A first-period goal by Islanders forward Casey Cizikas came off the stick of rookie defenseman Sam Dickinson, who lost control of the puck from behind the net and sent it right out front.

Macklin Celebrini cut the Islanders’ lead to one with his second goal of the season at the 10:16 mark of the third period, but the Sharks fell to 0-4-2 on the season and remained the NHL’s last winless team.

“We took a lot of steps in the right direction,” Sharks defenseman Nick Leddy said. “We’ll go over some of the stuff that we need to fix (on Wednesday). But we’re making some really good strides.”

Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov made 23 saves in his third start of the season. Sorokin made 33 saves, including 14 in the first period.

Collin Graf and Adam Gaudette also scored for the Sharks, whose four-game road trip continues Thursday against the New York Rangers. The Sharks finish the trip with games against the New Jersey Devils on Friday and the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.

On Schaefer’s goal, which gave New York a 4-2 lead, the Sharks made a poor line change, leaving the Islanders with numbers in the offensive zone.

Islanders forward and ex-Shark Anthony Duclair then took a seam pass from Kyle Palmieri and put a shot on net that Askarov stopped. Still, Duclair had time to wheel around the net and find an open Schaefer, who got away from Leddy and scored his second of the season from point-blank range.

“The big mistake was the fourth goal, the line change,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “That’s what’s going on right now. We’re making one drastic mistake, and it’s in the back of the net, and that’s ultimately costing us the game.

“I thought this was probably our most complete game of the year.”

Michael Misa’s first point in the NHL came on Gaudette’s goal, which tied the game 2-2 at the 14:16 mark of the first period.

Defenseman Sam Dickinson kept the puck in the Islanders’ zone after a clearing attempt with his hand and sent the puck into the corner. Graf collected the puck behind the net and backhanded it out front to Misa, who sent it across the crease to Gaudette, who scored his second of the season on a mostly empty net.

The Islanders retook the lead just before the first intermission. With Dickinson serving a holding penalty, Askarov made a save on an Anders Lee redirection. But Lee, with time, put the puck back on net, where it sat near Askarov’s skate and the post before Heineman came in and slapped it across the goal line for a 3-2 New York lead.

Bo Horvat also scored in the first for the Islanders, who had just eight shots in the first 20 minutes.

Askarov entered Tuesday with a 0-1-1 record and a .833 save percentage. Among the 55 goalies who have played at least two games this season, Askarov, per Money Puck, was 51st in goals saved above expected (-2.4).

Goaltending, poor puck management, and some shoddy play in their own zone left the Sharks tied for last in the NHL in goals allowed per game (5.00).

Askarov was playing opposite countryman Sorokin, who finished second in Vezina Trophy voting as the league’s top goalie and was an NHL All-Star in 2023.

The Sharks reunited Celebrini with wingers Tyler Toffoli and Will Smith, the so-called sleepover lines, for Tuesday’s game. The trio spent some time together last season, and, per Natural Stat Trick, had some modest success with 27 scoring chances created in just over 60 minutes of ice time during 5-on-5 play.

The Sharks were desperate for any scoring after managing just two even-strength goals in their last three games – all losses in regulation time.

Originally Published: October 21, 2025 at 6:48 PM PDT