Bozak, Matthews, lead Leafs to 3–2 SO Victory against Sharks
The Toronto Maple Leafs end multiple losing streaks with 3–2 win against the San José Sharks in a shoot-out.
Within seconds of getting on the ice, Leafs player Nazem Kadri and Sharks player Joe Thornton started fighting. Kadri and Thornton dropped their gloves and began to fight each other, right before the refrees stopped them. Oddly enough, once they were separated, Kadri seemed to drop a fur ball on the ice. Wait… that’s not a furball… that’s part of Thornton’s beard!
Nazem Kadri said he didn’t mean to grab Joe Thornton by the beard, didn’t realize he’d removed a chunk of hair until it was in his hand.
“I ended up with a piece in my hand. I have no idea what happened. I’m a hockey player not a barber.”
When asked about the incident, Kadri shared that Thornton was the one who initiated it.
“He asked me, he initiated…he insisted on going so I felt like I had to answer the bell. There’s no decision. There’s no backing away, that’s just how it is.”
Needless to say, both men were sentanced to five minutes in the penalty box.
After about 10 minutes, the first period was underway. Frederik Gauthier drew an interference chasing a free puck before the Sharks’ net, yet the Leafs were not able score. Minutes after, Morgan Rielly got caught grabbing on to Joe Pavelski’s stick, resulting in a power player for the Sharks. However, they too were not able to score. After a few minutes of high-intensity back and forth play, Auston Matthews scored the Leafs first goal of the game.
Just seconds after, Sharks defenseman Brenden Dillion quickly ties the game 1–1. We stay with that score through the end of the first period.
Near the midway point of the second period, Mitch Marner scores a powerplay goal and gives the Leaf a 2–1 lead.
However, with just under two minutes left in the second period, Andersen gives up a goal to Chris Tierney write in front of the net.
Not much happened in the third period. Just a lot of intense and anxiety inducing play! The Leafs would head to overtime with the score 2–2.
Matthews was the first to shoot in overtime for the Leafs, and he got the puck right in the net. On the Sharks final attempt in overtime, they sent Labanc to the ice and he put it in the net. We went to the fourth round of overtime. However, during both the fourth and fifth rounds, no one scored any goals. Finally, Leafs coach Mike Babcock sent Tyler Bozak to the ice, and he shot a beautiful goal, which lead the Leafs to a 3–2 S.O. victory!
With the win against the Sharks tonight, the Leafs ended three losing streaks! The first being their three-game losing streak. The second being the first win for the Leafs against the Sharks since January 2011 (a ten-game losing streak!). And finally, the Leafs earned their first win against the Sharks at home since January 29, 2002 (16 years ago!!).
The Leafs continue their 5-game home stand against the Vancouver Canucks Saturday night at 7:00pm.
