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Victor Petkov
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San Jose Sharks edge Toronto Maple Leafs in dramatic shootout
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Tyler Toffoli scored twice and added one assist for San Jose's win

The San Jose Sharks secured a dramatic 6-5 shootout victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night, despite blowing a two-goal lead in the final minute of regulation.

Tyler Toffoli was the standout performer for the Sharks, scoring two goals and adding an assist to lead the team offensively.

Collin Graf, Alexander Wennberg, and William Eklund also scored for San Jose. In the shootout, Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini found the net, while goaltender Alexandar Georgiev made crucial stops against Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner to seal the win. Georgiev, who made 30 saves during regulation, allowed one shootout goal to William Nylander but recovered to make the next two key saves.

Toronto almost completed a remarkable comeback, as John Tavares scored with 59 seconds left on the clock, followed by William Nylander netting his second goal of the game just 45 seconds later to force overtime. Despite their late surge, the Leafs fell short in the shootout. The defeat marked Toronto’s seventh loss in their last 12 games (5-6-1) and an unfortunate start to their California road trip. Earlier in the game, Auston Matthews and Scott Laughton scored during the second period, but the team’s efforts were ultimately not enough.

One of the highlights for the Sharks was rookie Collin Graf making history by becoming the first Sharks rookie to score a short-handed goal since Tomas Plihal did so in 2008. The victory provided a much-needed morale boost for San Jose as they look to build momentum moving forward.