Music: {allcanada} MAPLE LEAFS (22-19-3) at SHARKS (23-16-5)

Thursday, January 15, 2015

{allcanada} MAPLE LEAFS (22-19-3) at SHARKS (23-16-5)

Thursday, January 15, 2015

10:30 PM ET

MAPLE LEAFS (22-19-3) at SHARKS (23-16-5)

TV: TSN4, CSN-CA

Season series: The San Jose Sharks swept a two-game series against the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. Joe Pavelski had two goals and one assist in a 6-2 victory at SAP Center on March 11, 2014.

Maple Leafs team scope: Offense has been difficult to come by for Toronto recently. The Maple Leafs were shut out for a second straight game in a 4-0 loss at the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. Corey Perry had a hat trick for the Ducks. Toronto goalie Jonathan Bernier made 21 saves in the loss, his first in regulation against Anaheim after going 5-0-1 in his previous six starts. "You want to win. Everybody wants to win so [losing] becomes a frustrating thing," interim coach Peter Horachek said. "It's our job to keep them focused and step back up tomorrow. There's a whole new challenge and there's some things you can certainly take with [the loss Wednesday]. There's not a lot of puck luck, that's for sure. They scored on a 5-on-3, an empty-net goal, one off our skate and one was a breakaway that kind of bounced by our D. They do what they do very well and we're going to have to work harder, stay focused and stay hungry against another really good team [Thursday]."

Sharks team scope: San Jose is set to open a seven-game homestand after earning a 3-2 road win against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday. Defenseman Brenden Dillon ended a 62-game drought when he scored 5:15 into the third period to break a 2-2 tie. "I think this is a critical chunk of games," Sharks coach Todd McLellan told the San Jose Mercury News after practice Wednesday. "That's a good chunk of points that can be had if we play properly and must be had, really, when we look at it. It'll set us up heading into that final stretch run where we do go back on the road for a little while." Forward Andrew Desjardins is set to return after missing the game Tuesday so he could be with his wife, who gave birth to the couple's first child. Against the Coyotes, McLellan had Tomas Hertl center a line with Tye McGinn and Tyler Kennedy, but on Wednesday he would not commit to having those three skate together again. "We'll figure that out tomorrow," McLellan said. "We'll go forward, and we'll figure out where everybody fits."

Team Stats