Fabian Zetterlund scored the decisive goal of a shootout and the visiting San Jose Sharks came back to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Monday night.
Jack Thompson and Tyler Toffoli scored in the third period for the Sharks, who ended an eight-game losing streak. Alexander Wennberg had two assists and Alexandar Georgiev stopped 25 shots.
John Tavares had a goal and an assist and Matthew Knies also scored for the Maple Leafs, who had a five-game winning streak end. Anthony Stolarz made 20 saves.
The Sharks came out with more jump than the Maple Leafs to open the first period but failed to take advantage of an early power play. Aided by two power plays, the Maple Leafs regained their poise and applied some pressure as the period ended without a goal.
Play was a scramble to open the second period. The Sharks had an early power play in the period, but had only one shot on goal as they did in their first power play. Soon after, however, Stolarz flashed a quick glove on Luke Kunin’s shot.
Toronto scored on a power play at 8:28 of the second when Tavares deflected Mitchell Marner’s shot with Knies setting a screen in front of the net. Toffoli was off for hooking.
The Sharks tried to answer but had trouble getting shots on goal through the Maple Leafs defense. They had only three shots on goal for the second period.
Knies was in the blue paint when he knocked in the rebound from a shot by Auston Matthews at 19:55 of the second during a power play. Kunin was off for tripping.
Thompson scored from the right circle on a rebound off the end boards from Wennberg’s shot at 2:23 of the third period to get San Jose on the board.
Wennberg circled behind the goal to set up Toffoli, who scored from the edge of the crease with 9:50 left in the third.
Toronto opened the overtime on a power play when Kunin was called for hooking at the end of the third.
Toronto’s Calle Jarnkrok (hernia surgery) made his season debut on Monday.
–Field Level Media
