Gavin McKenna scores winner as Maple Leafs beat Sharks 3-1
McKenna broke a third-period tie on the power play in Toronto on October 19, ending the Maple Leafs’ three-game losing streak.
The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1 at home on Monday, October 19, after Gavin McKenna scored the go-ahead goal on a third-period power play. The win ended Toronto’s three-game losing streak, according to The Canadian Press report carried by Global News.
McKenna collected the puck in a crowd and shot past San Jose goaltender Yaroslav Askarov at 4:56 of the third period, breaking a 1-1 tie. Toronto had entered the game 0-2-1 over its previous three contests and 1-2-2 over its previous five. Sheng Peng’s separate account for San Jose Hockey Now also reported the Sharks’ 3-1 loss in Toronto.
How Toronto took the lead against San Jose
Mason Marchment put the Sharks ahead at 13:54 of the first period. He was left alone in front of Sergei Bobrovsky after Auston Matthews turned the puck over in Toronto’s defensive zone, The Canadian Press reported. Marchment’s goal was San Jose’s only score; Bobrovsky finished with 30 saves for the Maple Leafs.
Matthews tied the game on a power play with 12 seconds left in the second period. He took a pass from Kirill Marchenko and shot past Askarov, setting up McKenna’s go-ahead goal early in the third. Matthews finished with a goal and two assists, while Nick Paul scored into an empty net late in regulation. Askarov made 28 saves, according to The Canadian Press.
San Jose had been penalized for having too many men on the ice late in the second period, giving Toronto the opportunity that led to Matthews’ equalizer. At the other end, the Maple Leafs killed all four Sharks power plays. Toronto entered the game with the NHL’s top-ranked penalty kill, having stopped 27 of 28 opportunities, The Canadian Press reported.
First meeting of McKenna and Stenberg
The game was the first NHL meeting between McKenna and Sharks winger Ivar Stenberg, the first and second picks in the 2026 draft. Toronto’s record moved to 4-4-2 with the victory; San Jose’s stood at 4-4-1 after the loss. The Maple Leafs’ William Nylander, who missed the morning skate because of illness, played in the game.
Peng observed Askarov stopping a Nylander one-timer during the second period. His game notes also described Sharks forward Alex Wennberg going to the locker room in the third period and later returning to the bench; Peng did not establish a cause for the departure.
Both teams were scheduled to play again Tuesday, October 20: San Jose at the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto at the Columbus Blue Jackets, according to The Canadian Press.
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Sources and context
- McKenna scores winner, Maple Leafs top SharksGlobal News / The Canadian Press
- Askarov Bounces Back, But Sharks Fall 3-1 to Maple LeafsSan Jose Hockey Now (byline: Sheng Peng), republished by Yahoo Sports
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.