MAPLE LEAFS 4, Sharks 2

Leafs do it with D

Summary

By TIM WHARNSBY -- Toronto Sun
  For 102 games, Maple Leafs general manager/coach Pat Quinn has been preaching to his offensive-minded players the importance of defensive responsibility.

 Early in their game last night, the Leafs were taught a quick lesson by one of the most productive clubs in the NHL, but then battened down the hatches for their first solid defensive effort this month.

 As a result, the league's top defensive club won 4-2 against the San Jose Sharks before 19,069 onlookers at the Air Canada Centre.

 The victory snapped the Leafs' five-game (0-3-2) winless skid. The loss prolonged a winless streak to 0-4-1 for the Sharks, who were averaging three goals a game before last night.

 Jonas Hoglund gave the Leafs a 3-2 at 14:50 of the second period with his team-leading 10th goal of the season.

 Captain Mats Sundin intercepted a clearing pass and dumped the puck to Steve Thomas behind the goal line to the left of the San Jose net. Thomas got the puck to Hoglund who snuck his own rebound along the ice and under goalie Steve Shields' glove.

 It was Sundin's first point in three games.

 Yanic Perreault, with his second of the night, added an insurance goal with 5:11 remaining.

 Nik Antropov, with his first in the NHL, had the other goal for Toronto. Vince Damphousse and Mike Ricci scored for San Jose.

 The Leafs killed off seven Sharks power plays, including a two-minute two-man advantage late in the game when Sundin was called for elbowing and defenceman Alexander Karpovtsev was caught with an illegal stick.

 Curtis Joseph made several point-blank stops, including one on Patrick Marleau while two men short. Owen Nolan hit the post during that power play.

 The Leafs defence took over after Hoglund's second game winner.

 The Sharks, however, outshot Toronto 30-18. It was the fifth consecutive game the Leafs had been outshot.

 Joseph, who picked up his 22nd win in 27 appearances against San Jose, entered the game with the NHL's second-best save percentage at .934.

 Quinn revamped his lineup for the game. On defence, Chris McAllister went in and Cory Cross was scratched. Alyn McCauley also was benched in favour of Kris King. Garry Valk returned after missing two games with an elbow injury and was reunited with Sergei Berezin and Igor Korolev.

 Perreault was moved between Dmitri Khristich and Mike Johnson. Rookie Antropov was on the fourth line with wingers Tie Domi and Kris King.

 Goals arrived at a quick pace in the opening period.

 The Leafs allowed their first short-handed goal of the season as former Leaf Damphousse ripped a Nolan drop pass that beat Joseph on the glove side.

 But Perreault erased the Sharks lead 36 seconds later with a power-play goal, taking a Hoglund pass from the side boards off the rush.

 Antropov scored on an outstanding individual effort midway through the period. But 1:38 later, Ricci tied the game 2-2.

 Toronto native Bryan Marchment stirred things up a couple times. The Sharks defenceman gave Antropov a shot to the head after his goal, prompting Domi to go after Marchment.

 Marchment also suckered Kris King into a retaliation elbowing penalty after the two collided the corner of the Sharks zone.

Summary

 First Period

 1. San Jose, Damphousse 6 (Nolan, Norton) 3:48 (sh)

 2. Toronto, Perreault 4 (Hoglund, Kaberle) 4:24 (pp)

 3. Toronto, Antropov 1 (Domi, Berard) 9:53

 4. San Jose, Ricci 5 (Friesen, Sturm) 11:31

 Penalties -- Valk Tor (interference) 1:46, Korolyuk SJ (boarding) 3:26, Marchment SJ, Berard Tor, Domi Tor (roughing), Shields SJ (leaving the crease; served by Marleau) 9:53, Yushkevich Tor (hooking) 14:53, Johnson Tor (obstruction holding stick) 18:17.

 Second Period

 5. Toronto, Hoglund 10 (Thomas, Sundin) 14:50

 Penalties -- Matteau SJ (obstruction holding stick) 2:24, King Tor (elbowing) 5:02, Korolyuk SJ (unsportsmanlike conduct) 7:15.

 Third Period

 6. Toronto, Perreault 5 (Berard, Johnson) 14:49

 Penalties -- McAllister Tor (slashing) 11:40, Sundin Tor (elbowing), Karpovtsev Tor (illegal stick) 16:53, Friesen SJ (charging) 19:47.

 Shots on goal by

 San Jose 11 8 11--30

 Toronto 7 7 4--18

 Goal -- San Jose: Shields (L, 9-6-2); Toronto: Joseph (W, 9-4-3).

 Power plays (goals-chances) -- San Jose: 0-7; Toronto: 1-4.

 Referees -- Mark Faucette, Dennis LaRue. Linesmen -- Francois Gagnon, Gerard Gauthier.

 Attendance -- 19,069.

 

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