UNIONDALE, N.Y. - Ryan Vesce said he was a New York Rangers fan despite growing up on Long Island.
The Lloyd Harbor, N.Y., native found a way to stick it to his childhood's team's biggest rival, making his first NHL goal a winning tally to help the San Jose Sharks beat the New York Islanders, 4-1, on Saturday night.
Joe Thornton had a power-play goal and two assists, and San Jose's Evgeni Nabokov made 31 saves in his 500th NHL game as the Sharks (4-3-1) snapped a two-game losing streak.
Thornton assisted on San Jose's first two goals to extend his league-leading total to 11. Vesce and Patrick Marleau started the stretch of four unanswered goals with second-period scores.
"We have some skilled guys, and when we execute we're pretty hard to handle," Thornton said.
The Islanders are still looking for their first victory of the season (0-3-3). Matt Moulson registered his team-leading fourth goal with a first-period, power-play tally.
After earning points in its first three games, New York has lost the last three in regulation and is off to its worst start since 1973. Islanders goalie Martin Biron (25 saves) still needs one win for 200 in the NHL.
New York and Toronto are the only remaining winless NHL teams.
"They have some big offensive guys and we allowed them to dictate the play," Biron said.
The Islanders fired 19 first-period shots but got off just 12 in the final two frames. San Jose drew all three of its power-play chances in the second and third periods, resulting in two goals with the extra man.
"They, after the first period, came out and were a lot more disciplined with getting back to their zone and putting back-pressure on the puck," Islanders coach Scott Gordon said.
"Our response to that was to not get pucks to the net."
Down 1-0 entering the second, San Jose responded with a power-play goal 7:50 into the period when Marleau ripped a backhand from the bottom of the right circle past Biron. Thornton earned the primary assist, sending a crisp pass onto Marleau's stick.
Thornton's skating created San Jose's second goal. He pressured defenseman Radek Martinek behind the Islanders net before he fell.
Thornton pushed the loose puck in front, and an undefended Vesce knocked it in with 3:36 left in the period.
"It's something I'll always remember," said Vesce, whose parents were in the stands. "(Thornton) forechecked, knocked him down, stole the puck and threw it out front. I found myself alone with the goalie and tried to fake him and it went in."
