Sharks at Maple Leafs
The San Jose Sharks’ 10-season playoff streak is in severe jeopardy as they prepare to visit the struggling Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. The Sharks dropped their last two and have six contests left on a seven-game road trip while standing six points behind Winnipeg for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Maple Leafs could be the best medicine for San Jose after being outscored 14-5 in three consecutive losses and winning only eight of their last 40 games.
The Sharks appeared to be back in it after winning four of five, but dropped a 6-2 decision to Chicago before losing at the Jets 5-2 on Tuesday. “We can sit in a corner and cry if we wanted to, but that’s not going to help us one bit,” San Jose coach Todd McLellan told reporters. “If something bad happens, we have to park it and move on. We have no other options.” Toronto will be without fourth-leading scorer Nazem Kadri, who was suspended four games for an illegal hit.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TVA, CSN California (San Jose), TSN4 (Toronto)
ABOUT THE SHARKS (34-28-8): Leading scorers Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton each collected three points in the last two games, but San Jose needs more from others if it is going to jump back into the race. Logan Couture, who is third on the team with 56 points behind Pavelski (64) and Thornton (60), has one in the last five games and Patrick Marleau (48) is scoreless in the same span. Antti Niemi was pulled after allowing three goals on eight shots against Winnipeg, dropping to 3-6-0 in his last nine decisions.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (27-38-6): Toronto has won back-to-back games once since Christmas and is 2-7-1 since accomplishing that feat late last month against Philadelphia and Winnipeg. Goalie Jonathan Bernier has managed to go 4-5-1 in his last 10 decisions after a 10-game winless streak, but was pulled after allowing three goals on four shots in the 4-1 loss to Edmonton on Monday. Phil Kessel is one shy of his sixth 25-goal season and leads the team with 54 points – three coming in the last four games.
OVERTIME
1. The Sharks have won eight of the last nine meetings, including a 3-1 victory at San Jose on Jan. 15.
2. Toronto captain D Dion Phaneuf is two points shy of 400 in his career.
3. San Jose D Brent Burns has 51 points, tied for the fourth most among blue-liners in the league.