3 least impressive Toronto Maple Leafs players from 3-2 OT loss to San Jose Sharks ft. Auston Matthews

NHL: San Jose Sharks at Toronto Maple Leafs - Source: Imagn
3 least impressive Toronto Maple Leafs players from 3-2 OT loss to San Jose Sharks - Source: Imagn

The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered a 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.

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The Maple Leafs controlled much of the game but faltered defensively in the third period and overtime, allowing the Sharks to rally after the visitors' 2-0 lead. Alexander Wenberg scored the winner for San Jose in 2:49 in the extra frame.

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Dennis Hildeby was solid between the pipes, making 29 saves with a .906 save percentage. Below are the least impressive Toronto Maple Leafs players in the defeat against the San Jose Sharks.

3 least impressive Toronto Maple Leafs players from 3-2 OT loss to San Jose Sharks

#3 Morgan Rielly

Rielly assisted on Auston Matthews' goal but was shaky overall. He was on for both Sharks goals, with the tying tally coming from poor defensive coverage on John Klingberg's late third-period strike.

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Rielly's line gave up high-danger chances at an alarming rate. He finished the game with a minus-2.

#2 Max Domi

Playing on the top line, Domi had zero points and was invisible in key moments, including failing to tie up Wennberg on the OT rebound scramble after Hildeby's initial save on the 2-on-1.

Domi's lack of defensive engagement contributed to the Leafs' third-period sloppiness, where Toronto managed only five shots after leading 14-8 in the second.

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#1 Auston Matthews

Despite scoring on the power play to make it 2-0, Auston Matthews was quiet on offense otherwise and directly contributed to the game-winning goal.

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In overtime, he attempted a 1-on-1 deke against Wennberg, lost possession, and lacked the speed to recover, leading to a 2-on-1 rush for San Jose. This marked a frustrating night for the captain in a winnable spot.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are fifth in the Atlantic Division with a 14-11-5 record. They host the Edmonton Oilers (14-11-6) at Scotiabank Arena next on Saturday, with the puck dropping at 7 p.m. ET.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta
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