Lehner gets shutout in Islanders' debut, 4-0 over Sharks
NEW YORK -- Robin Lehner stopped 35 shots for his ninth career shutout in his New York debut, leading the Islanders to a 4-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Monday.
Anders Lee, Scott Mayfield, Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas scored to help New York get new coach Barry Trotz his first win at home. The Islanders, who opened the season with an overtime win at Carolina last Thursday, then lost their home opener to Nashville two nights later.
Lehner, who signed with the Islanders in July, played for the first time since last March 29 for Buffalo. He left that game against Detroit because of a panic attack and was subsequently treated for alcohol and drug addiction and also diagnosed with bipolar disorder, ADHD and PTSD.
Lehner denied Tomas Hertl on the doorstep with 1:40 left to preserve the shutout and get his first win against the Sharks after coming in 0-4 with a 3.33 goals-against average in four games against them.
Cizikas added a short-handed empty-netter with 56 seconds left to cap the scoring.
Martin Jones finished with 26 saves for San Jose, which has lost two of its first three games.
The Islanders got on the scoreboard late in a second period in which they outshot the Sharks 12-8. San Jose came up empty on two power plays before New York broke through on its man advantage as Lee knocked in the rebound of Josh Bailey's shot from the right circle for his second at 14:34. It gave Lee a power-play goal for the second straight game, and New York its third in three.
Mayfield, making his season debut after being a healthy scratch the first two games, made it 2-0 at 5:16 of the third as he deflected a wrist shot by Cizikas.
Martin, back in New York this season after spending two years in Toronto, got his first goal since last December with just under seven minutes left.
Both goalies were tested in the scoreless first period. With the Islanders on an early power play, Jones gloved Bailey's one-timer from the right circle, made a stick save on Lee's tip and a pad save on Nick Leddy's hard shot.
Lehner had two nice stops on San Jose's power play, denying Joe Pavelski's tip try and making a glove save on Logan Couture.
New York had another man-advantage late in the first, but Jones gloved Mathew Barzal's hard shot from the left circle and then made a stick save on his try from the same area.
Tom Kuhnhackl, making his Islanders debut, hit a post with about three minutes left in the first.
Game notes
Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said the swelling in C Joe Thornton's right knee is due to an infection. Thornton, who had surgery on the knee, was placed on injured reserve during the weekend and did not accompany the team on its four-game swing to the East. There is no timetable for his return. ... San Jose RW Timo Meier celebrated his 22nd birthday. ... San Jose went 0 for 4 on the power play to fall to 0 for 10 on the season. ... New York has not allowed a power-play goal on its opponents' eight chances this season. ... The teams conclude their two-game season series Oct. 20 at San Jose. ... Lee got his eighth goal and 10th point in nine games against the Sharks. ... Martin got his first goal and point in his 13th game against San Jose.
UP NEXT
Sharks: At Philadelphia on Tuesday night in middle game of five-game trip.
Islanders: At Nashville on Saturday night in opener of a four-game trip.
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