Gavin McKenna netted the game-winning goal as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1 on Monday night.
McKenna put the Leafs up 2-1 4:56 into the final frame, receiving the puck from Auston Matthews on the outside and enjoying a relatively unimpeded path towards goal. The 18-year-old was allowed to stroll towards the net and ping it in off the post for his first power-play goal in the NHL.
The game marked the first encounter between McKenna and Ivar Stenberg — the highly touted top-two picks of the 2026 NHL entry draft.
Mason Marchment scored in the first period for San Jose before Matthews tied the game with 12 seconds remaining in the second period. Matthews added two assists for his fourth multi-point game of the young season.
Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 30 shots in his first home win as a Maple Leaf. Yaroslav Askarov made 29 saves for the visitors.
Marchment opened the scoring 13:54 in. Tyler Toffoli snatched up Toronto’s clearing attempt at the point and flipped the puck to Marchment lurking behind the play. The former Maple Leaf pulled the puck out of the air and shoveled it over a sprawling Bobrovsky.
The Sharks were able to kill off a 58-second five-on-three towards the end of the first period after Jacob Trouba and Dmitry Orlov were called for consecutive tripping penalties.
Matthews tied the game 1-1 at the end of the second period on what was Toronto’s fourth power play. Kirill Marchenko spun away from Trouba in the corner and slipped the puck to the captain, who ripped in a powerful one-timer from one knee. Macklin Celebrini was responsible for the penalty after jumping onto the ice too early, resulting in a too-many-men call.
Nick Paul sealed the deal on an empty-net goal with less than 40 seconds remaining from just inside the offensive zone.
The Sharks are one of two teams still without a regulation win on the season.
–Field Level Media
