TORONTO (Interstat) — Alexander Wennberg scored 8:49 into overtime to lift the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night. Toronto led 2-1 after two periods on goals by Dakota Joshua and Auston Matthews, with Dmitry Orlov scoring for San Jose. John Klingberg tied it for the Sharks with a slap shot late in the third period, setting up Wennberg’s winner. The Sharks’ center finished with a goal and two assists. Alex Nedeljkovic made 28 saves for the win. San Jose improved to 15-17, while Toronto fell to 14-16.

TORONTO (Interstat) — Alexander Wennberg scored 2:47 into overtime to lift the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena. Wennberg, who also had two assists, finished a feed from William Eklund to end the game, capping a three-point night for the Sharks’ center. The goal gave San Jose its second win in three games and improved its record to 15-17, while Toronto fell to 14-16. The game was a goaltending duel for long stretches, with San Jose’s Alex Nedeljkovic making 28 saves for the win and Toronto’s Dennis Hildeby stopping 29 shots in the loss. The Sharks overcame a one-goal deficit in the third period to force the extra session. Toronto opened the scoring late in the first period. Dakota Joshua deflected a point shot from Jake McCabe past Nedeljkovic at the 14:33 mark, with William Nylander earning the secondary assist. San Jose answered in the second period. With the Sharks applying sustained pressure, defenseman Dmitry Orlov fired a wrist shot from the point that beat a screened Hildeby at 10:31. John Klingberg and Wennberg picked up assists on the play. The Maple Leafs reclaimed the lead on a power play later in the period. With San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini in the box for hooking, Auston Matthews collected a pass from Nylander and snapped a wrist shot from the left circle for his 13th goal of the season at 8:32. Morgan Rielly had the other assist. The Sharks pushed for the equalizer in the third and were finally rewarded in the final minutes. On a rush into the Toronto zone, Klingberg unleashed a heavy slap shot that sailed over Hildeby’s shoulder to tie the game at 2-2 with 5:25 remaining in regulation. Celebrini and Wennberg assisted on the goal. In overtime, San Jose controlled possession off a faceoff in the Toronto end. Eklund carried the puck below the goal line and sent a sharp pass to the slot, where Wennberg one-timed it home to secure the road victory. Matthews led Toronto with a goal and six shots on net. Nylander finished with two assists. Joshua added a goal for the Maple Leafs. For San Jose, Klingberg had a goal and an assist, while Celebrini contributed an assist and a team-high six shots. Orlov’s second-period goal was his first of the season. The game featured six minor penalties, three per side. Toronto went 1 for 3 on the power play, while San Jose was 0 for 3. The result defied pregame projections. National Statistical’s game simulator had projected a 3-2 Toronto victory, and its ELO system gave the Maple Leafs a 77.1 percent probability to win. Toronto had been installed as a 1.5-goal favorite, and the total of five goals went under the over/under line of 6.5. The Sharks continue their road trip against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. The Maple Leafs host the Edmonton Oilers, also on Saturday.

Preview: Sharks at Maple Leafs TORONTO (Interstat) — Two teams hovering near the .500 mark will look to build momentum when the San Jose Sharks visit the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night. Both clubs enter with identical 14-win records, though the Sharks sit at 14-16-0, while the Maple Leafs are 14-15-5 across all competitions. The matchup features a compelling duel between San Jose’s emerging offensive star and Toronto’s recently stalwart goaltender. All eyes will be on Sharks rookie center Macklin Celebrini, the first overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Celebrini is coming off a three-point performance (one goal, two assists) in San Jose’s 4-1 road victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday. He has recorded two goals and seven assists for nine points in his last 10 games, driving the Sharks’ offense. He will face a tough test in Maple Leafs netminder Dennis Hildeby, who has been brilliant in December. Hildeby is riding a personal three-game point streak (2-0-1), including a 29-save shutout against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday. In his last four appearances, he has stopped 104 of 107 shots for a .972 save percentage, providing stability for Toronto. The Sharks have been inconsistent, mixing decisive wins with heavy losses. Their victory over Carolina snapped a two-game skid that included a 7-1 defeat to Washington. Toronto has found a better rhythm lately, going 3-1-1 in its last five, with the defense tightening in front of Hildeby. San Jose will rely on goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, who made 29 saves in the win over Carolina. Toronto’s offense, led by Auston Matthews and John Tavares — who combined for the goals in Monday’s 2-0 win — will look to solve him. This game opens a three-game road trip for the Sharks, who next visit Pittsburgh on Saturday. The Maple Leafs begin a brief two-game homestand before heading back on the road next week. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.