Sharks Eye Rare Back-to-Back Wins as They Face Buffals

The San Jose Sharks are coming off a much-needed 3-2 shootout victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs, snapping an eight-game losing streak. Now, they turn their attention to the Buffalo Sabres, aiming to secure consecutive wins for the first time since early January. Meanwhile, the Sabres are reeling from a tough 4-3 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens and are desperate to end their three-game slide.

Sharks Snap Losing Streak with Gritty Performance

It had been over a month since the Sharks last tasted victory, but their resilience paid off in Toronto. Trailing 2-0 in the third period, San Jose stormed back with goals from Jack Thompson and Tyler Toffoli, forcing extra time. The game ultimately went to a shootout, where Fabian Zetterlund and Toffoli delivered clutch goals to seal the win.

Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev played a pivotal role, stopping 25 shots in regulation and standing tall in the shootout, denying three of Toronto’s top stars—Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, and John Tavares.

“It was amazing,” said Alexander Wennberg, who contributed two assists. “We’ve been close so many times, and to finally pull through, especially after coming from behind, is a huge confidence boost for the team.”

Rookie sensation Macklin Celebrini returned to action despite a lower-body injury suffered in Saturday’s loss to the Ottawa Senators. He remains a key offensive contributor, tied with William Eklund for the team lead in points (44). Meanwhile, Toffoli continues to lead the Sharks in goals, netting his 23rd of the season.

Though San Jose still sits at the bottom of the NHL standings with just 41 points, the victory over Toronto showed glimpses of potential. Now, the real challenge begins—building on that momentum.

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Buffalo Falters in Overtime, Struggles Continue

The Sabres have hit a rough patch, losing three straight (0-2-1), including Monday’s frustrating 4-3 overtime loss to Montreal. Despite falling behind 3-0 in the second period, Buffalo showed resilience by clawing back into the game.

Alex Tuch got the Sabres on the board in the second period before Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin delivered third-period goals, with Dahlin’s tally coming in the final minute of regulation. However, the comeback fell short as Montreal’s Mike Matheson scored the game-winner in overtime.

Special teams were a major problem for Buffalo, as they allowed two power-play goals and a short-handed tally.

“Special teams let us down tonight,” Thompson admitted. “We had power-play opportunities to take control, but we couldn’t capitalize, and that cost us.”

Despite the team’s struggles, Tuch has been on fire, scoring in four straight games and netting six goals in his last seven contests. He now has 23 goals and 24 assists in 59 games. Thompson, Buffalo’s leading scorer, has 29 goals and 52 points in 53 games.

With just 54 points, the Sabres sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, desperately needing to string together some wins to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Can the Sharks Keep Rolling or Will the Sabres Rebound?

San Jose enters this matchup with renewed confidence after their dramatic win, but history isn’t on their side. The Sharks haven’t won back-to-back games in nearly two months, and they’ll need another gritty performance to break that trend.

On the other hand, Buffalo has the firepower to bounce back but must clean up its special teams play to avoid another disappointing outcome.

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The stage is set for an intriguing showdown in Buffalo. Will the Sharks keep the momentum going, or will the Sabres finally find a way to snap their skid?