Salo Takes The Bite Out Of San Jose

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

December 16, 1998 / 1:47 AM EST / CBS Sportsline

The streak is finally over for the New York Islanders.

After seven straight losses, the Islanders met the lethargic San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night and emerged with a 1-0 victory.

Islanders goalie Tommy Salo got the shutout, giving him five for the season and tying him for the NHL lead with Buffalo's Dominik Hasek. It was his 14th career shutout.

The Sharks, who opened the season with eight straight losses, have just six wins this season, fewest in the NHL. A victory Tuesday would have pulled them out of the basement of the Western Conference, ahead of Los Angeles.

The Islanders, ranked first in the NHL on the power play, didn't need those skills for the streak-breaking win, as Mike Watt scored the lone goal at even strength.

Watt took a Barry Richter pass and wrestled past San Jose defenseman Bob Rouse to beat goalie Mike Vernon from out in front of the net midway through the second period.

Watt, who ranks among the NHL's rookie leaders with eight assists, now has four goals.

Sharks captain Owen Nolan knocked a hard shot at Salo in the final minute of the second, but Salo caught the puck effortlessly in mid-air.

The Islanders were energetic at the start, keeping Vernon busy by outshooting the Sharks 8-3 in the first period. It didn't help that the Sharks did little to keep the puck out of his end of the ice.

The Sharks picked up the pace in the second with nine shots on goal, but Salo was able to hold them off. The crowd at the San Jose Arena at times booed the home team, as well as the Islanders and the officials.

In the end, the Sharks gave Salo just 13 shots to stop, including just one in the third period. His last shutout was Oct. 27 against Los Angeles, for a 1-0 Islanders victory.

Vernon stopped 25 Islander shots.

The last time the Islanders had won was Nov. 25, when they beat Philadelphia 4-2.