Sharks Defeat Leafs, Move Into Playoff Spot

San Jose Sharks earn crucial win over Toronto Maple Leafs to climb into Western Conference wild card position.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 4:34am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game between the San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs, with the players and action broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of vibrant teal, white, and navy blue colors.The Sharks' crucial home win over the Maple Leafs keeps their playoff hopes alive in a tightly contested Western Conference race.San Jose Today

The San Jose Sharks defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 on Thursday night at SAP Center, with goals from Zack Ostapchuk, Collin Graf, William Eklund, and an empty-netter from Adam Gaudette. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic made 18 saves as the Sharks won their fourth straight game and, for the moment, moved into the Western Conference's second wild card spot.

Why it matters

The Sharks' win was crucial in their push to make the playoffs, as they now sit one point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings and two points ahead of the Nashville Predators in the standings. With a tough remaining schedule, the Sharks needed this home victory to maintain their postseason position.

The details

The Sharks built a 2-0 lead in the first period with goals from Ostapchuk and Graf. Eklund extended the lead to 3-0 in the second period before John Tavares scored a power-play goal for the Leafs. Gaudette's empty-net tally in the final minute sealed the win for San Jose.

  • The Sharks scored the game's first goal at the 3:27 mark of the first period.
  • Tavares scored Toronto's lone goal at the 6:43 mark of the second period.
  • Gaudette's empty-net goal came with 56.9 seconds left in the third period.

The players

Zack Ostapchuk

A Sharks forward who scored the opening goal of the game.

Collin Graf

A Sharks forward who scored the second goal of the game.

William Eklund

A Sharks forward who scored the third goal of the game.

Alex Nedeljkovic

The Sharks' goaltender who made 18 saves in the win.

John Tavares

A Maple Leafs center who scored Toronto's lone goal.

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What they’re saying

“'Anytime you have an emotional win, the natural human reaction is to kind of come off it a little bit. We've got to make sure what happened last night doesn't affect our game today.'”

— Ryan Warsofsky, Sharks Coach

What’s next

The Sharks will continue their critical homestand on Saturday when they host the Nashville Predators, another team they are battling with for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The takeaway

This win was a crucial two points for the Sharks as they fight to maintain their position in the Western Conference playoff race. With a tough remaining schedule, the Sharks needed to take care of business at home against a top opponent like the Maple Leafs.