Alexander Wennberg assisted on the game-tying purpose, then scored the winner on the 2:49 mark of time beyond regulation to steer the San Jose Sharks to a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday at Scotiabank Area.
After a Leafs turnover, Wennberg took the puck into the offensive zone and handed it over to William Eklund for a one-timer that goalie Dennis Hildeby stopped. With the puck nonetheless unfastened, Wennberg went to the entrance of the web, managed it along with his skate, and shot it in for his seventh purpose of the season.
The NHL reviewed the play for offside, however Eklund dragged his skate to remain onside — barely – on the 2-on-1 with Wennberg.
Wennberg completed with a season-high three factors, and defenseman John Klingberg added two, together with the game-tying purpose with 1:25 left in regulation time, because the Sharks improved to 2-2-0 on this five-game street journey that ends Saturday in opposition to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“I thought they were checking for the kick, but I’m pretty sure I got a stick on it,” Wennberg mentioned. “You score and celebrate, and all of a sudden, you get called back looking for a review. But I’m happy we found a way to win. It’s a tough game, working our way back, and we showed some identity finding a way to win.”
Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic completed with 28 saves for the Sharks (15-14-3).
The Sharks trailed 2-0 after permitting targets to Leafs ahead Dakota Joshua and Auston Matthews, with Matthews’ energy play purpose coming on the 14:32 mark of the second interval.
Defenseman Dmitry Orlov scored his first purpose as a Shark on the 15:31 mark of the second interval to chop the Leafs’ result in 2-1.
Then, with the Sharks urgent and trailing by one, Klingberg took a go from Macklin Celebrini and fired a shot from contained in the blue line that received previous a screened Hildeby for his fifth purpose of the season.
The Sharks thought they tied the sport with 11:06 left in regulation time, as a centering go from Barclay Goodrow received previous Hildeby. However after a Leafs coach’s problem, it was decided that Adam Gaudette had put himself offside earlier than he handed the puck to Goodrow.
“I thought we shot ourselves in the foot with a couple puck playing mistakes, but for the most part, I liked the way the guys competed,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky mentioned. “We labored arduous, did a number of the issues that we’ve been speaking about, and I assumed we have been resilient.
“For us to come out here and get two points — it wasn’t looking too good there for a little bit, especially after the offsides — so, credit to the group.”
Ty Dellandrea had an opportunity to offer the Sharks an early lead after he was awarded a penalty shot with 8:14 left within the first interval after Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly hooked him. However Dellandrea’s shot was stopped by the Leafs’ 6-foot-7 Hildeby, who made 11 saves within the first interval.
Nedeljkovic, who made 10 saves within the first 20 minutes, was making his third straight begin Thursday with Yaroslav Askarov nonetheless slightly below the climate. Askarov missed Tuesday’s recreation in opposition to the Philadelphia Flyers with an sickness, stayed there in a single day, and flew from Philadelphia to Toronto on Wednesday.
Askarov could possibly be obtainable to start out on Sunday.
Nedeljkovic stopped 26 of 29 photographs within the Sharks’ 4-1 loss to the Flyers and entered Thursday with a 4-6-2 document and a .899 save share in 14 video games.
Defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin was enjoying for the primary time since Dec. 1 when the Sharks beat the Utah Mammoth 6-3. He was near enjoying on Tuesday, with Timothy Liljegren coping with a lower-body harm, however was scratched once more as Liljegren performed and had 18:30 of ice time.
Mukhamadullin, who was paired with Mario Ferraro on Thursday, had a purpose and 4 assists in his first 14 video games this season.
REAVES’ RETURN
Sharks winger Ryan Reaves was requested Thursday at Scotiabank Area about his unceremonious departure from the Leafs in July.
“They basically said that I couldn’t play in this league anymore,” Reaves mentioned. “And I’m back.”
Within the second 12 months of a three-year, $4.05 million contract, Reaves was wholesome scratched 15 occasions within the Leafs’ first 42 video games final season. He ended up solely enjoying in 35 of 62 video games earlier than he was positioned on waivers in March and assigned to the AHL, the place he hadn’t performed since 2011.
“I think throughout the year, not just that situation, I think there were other situations that could have been handled differently,” Reaves mentioned. “On the time, I had been within the league for 15 years, and just a bit honesty and communication would have been good. However each staff handles issues otherwise.
“It is what it is. I ended up in a great organization in San Jose, and I’m having a great time playing there. I guess (Toronto) was a stepping stone to get here.”
