Sharks Win! Improbable Comeback, 3-2 Shootout Win Over Leafs

TORONTO — The San Jose Sharks visit Scotiabank Arena to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Jack Thompson and Tyler Toffoli scored, and the Sharks win in the shootout!

Period 1

5 in: Did Stolarz get that? Smith had an open net, but he was handcuffed on backhand.

Wennberg lets himself get caught in corner on PP, two Leafs jump him though he’s facing out. Not playing fast enough.

8 in: San Jose Sharks off to an energetic start though. Zetterlund does a good job powering his way into zone, then soft pass to I think Wennberg, who finds Ferraro for a chance. Zetterlund does a good job negotiating the puck in traffic, which I don’t see as his strength.

Warm round of applause for Timothy Liljegren, who is back in Toronto for the first time since October’s trade pic.twitter.com/THecocUXwG

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) March 4, 2025

8 left: Mukhamadullin falls, but sticks with and pins Kampf. Kampf not a small player, these are small encouraging signs in Mukhamadullin’s play. His pin is meaning something.

I’m not sure if the Leafs are playing their best, doubt it, but the Sharks are keeping up the effort that they’ve shown in recent games.

6 left: Toffoli in position covering for pinching Vlasic, stops stretch breakaway to maybe Marner.

5 left: Don’t love that pass from Smith, right on entry, curl on boards and pass through three Leafs misses, turnover. Of course be singing his praises if pass connects, but seemed a bit deliberate. There was another play earlier, first time in a while, feel like Smith isn’t playing as fast as you want.

Ferraro a draw with Myers, holds his own against the 6-foot-5 d-man, nice job. He gets the extra penalty, but I honestly don’t mind it, he’s standing up for Goodrow, who got rocked by Myers. Clean hit, by the way. But I like look before you leap when it comes to standing up for your guy. I know that’s not a popular stance. But especially when this isn’t exactly Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final for the Sharks. Get smarter when the games really count, sure, but right now, just step up for your brother No. 1.

Period 2

4 in: Toffoli can’t corral a brilliant-looking Smith PP centering pass.

5 in: Leafs definitely sleepy there, Stolarz bails them out, Dellandrea quick behind the back pass to Kunin, but smell the glove.

6 in: Liljegren pass break-up in slot, good defensive focus. Dellandrea on exit, was he trying a behind-the-back pass or did he just get caught? Don’t like that pass decision if so. Will need to watch again.

7 in: Someone loses Knies in front, Georgiev stops jam. Georgiev hasn’t been tested a ton, but solid so far. Sleepy game for both teams.

Tavares goal: Not a great Toffoli penalty, Thompson pass up to him wasn’t great, Robertson pounced on it, but Toffoli hooks him, don’t know if he had to there. You keep giving the Leafs power play chances, they’re going to score.

9 in: What a big Georgiev save on Domi breakaway! San Jose Sharks starting to lose grip on the game, they didn’t take advantage when Leafs seemed a little sleepy.

9 left: Zetterlund carelessness with the puck through NZ almost leads to Leafs 2-on-0.

6 left: Nylander powers through Ferraro one-on-one, about to have a Grade-A, but Mukhamadullin able to stick it away. Good play. I think he’s have a decent defensive game, should be building confidence in that area. Not everything going right, but holding his own against a tough team.

5 left: Another big Georgiev save, aggressive on Matthews’s one-timer. Sharks have nothing this period, just two shots so far.

3 left: Now Walman caught from behind by Holmberg trying to exit. Sharks need to find some focus or it’s going to get ugly.

2 left: Just watching Mukhamadullin in front of net there, good tracking and switch of Matthews and maybe Knies.

Kunin penalty: That’s one of those, you keep facing offensive pressure, you’re going to take penalties. Dellandrea loses stick, pushes attacking Holmberg from behind, Kunin’s stick is out playing defense, but there’s a trip. That’s just a bad hockey team penalty, not particularly on one player. Sharks should thank lucky stars if they come out of this period down just a goal.

Knies goal: And five seconds left, Knies overpowers Vlasic in front, shovels it in to open net. That’s a back-breaker. Sharks should be angry with themselves after that period.

Period 3

Thompson goal: Looks like Celebrini and Wennberg have flip-flopped lines, and it pays immediate dividends. Like simplicity of that, feel like the Sharks got a talking to between periods of stop being so fancy, Wennberg shot from blueline misses but bounces off end boards, Thompson beats I think Robertson to it.

3 in: Feels like Sharks have come out shooting, now the new Smith-Celebrini-Zetterlund line get a couple shots.

5 in: San Jose Sharks have also come out with more puck hunger.

8 in: Celebrini a terror on that shift. Mugs Robertson trying to enter. Then all over the puck on forecheck. Nothing comes of it, but love to see it.

Toffoli goal: Starts with Mukhamadullin standing up Dewar. Love! Wennberg patience, when it works, it’s brilliant. He fakes out Stolarz, it looks like, Stolarz slips trying to get back in front. Toffoli beats his check, has an open net.

10 left: Sharks feeling it, Zetterlund trick in NZ, shakes three Leafs, has an open slot to fire from.

Zetterlund doesn’t let Marner exit easy, Celebrini pounces high. Finds Smith all alone in front, but Stolarz!

8 left: Wennberg with a killer feed to Ferraro, he goes high. That was it there.

6 left: That’s a Celebrini slot turnover, prototypical one, I don’t mind, he’s thinking fast, trying to hit Smith with pass. One day…

4 left: Persistent Dellandrea defensive effort on Matthews off DZ draw loss.

No matter the result, I give #SJSharks credit for improbable comeback and their urgency. I had them for dead after the second period

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 4, 2025

OT

Wennberg-Ferraro-Walman to start on PK.