SAN JOSE – Between the extensive upcoming travel and the quality of the opposition, the next three-plus weeks could be the most challenging of the San Jose Sharks’ season.
The demanding schedule might also be a measure of whether the Sharks are truly a playoff team.
The stretch of 12 games in 25 days got off to an impressive start Saturday as the Sharks erased a two-goal third-period deficit before Tyler Toffoli scored at the 1:58 mark of overtime to lift San Jose to a thrilling 5-4 comeback win over the Dallas Stars before a sellout crowd of 17,435 at SAP Center.
Trailing 4-2 after Mikko Rantanen’s 18th goal of the season at the 7:53 mark of the third period, Toffoli and Adam Gaudette scored 5:33 apart to tie the game, with Gaudette’s goal, his 10th of the season, making it 4-4 with 4:59 left in regulation time.
On a Sharks power play in overtime, Toffoli took a pass from William Eklund and one-timed a shot past Stars goalie Casey DeSmith for his 13th goal of the season.
The first three Sharks goals came on the power play, with Macklin Celebrini assisting on goals by Alexander Wennberg and Toffoli to extend his point streak to 13 games. Toffoli’s goal came with 10:32 left in regulation time and cut the Stars’ lead to one.
Celebrini also assisted on Toffoli’s overtime goal, giving him 70 points on the season.
Jeff Skinner also scored a power play goal, and Alex Nedeljkovic finished with 16 saves for the Sharks, who host the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday in the second half of the difficult back-to-back.
After this weekend, the Sharks begin a tough four-game road trip with games against Washington, Detroit, Florida, and Tampa Bay — all teams in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
ROSTER UPDATES
Head coach Ryan Warsofsky reiterated before Saturday’s game that defenseman John Klingberg and rookie forward Michael Misa are options to play in Sunday’s game against the Golden Knights.
Klingberg (lower body) hasn’t played since he was injured in the Sharks’ Dec. 31 game against the Minnesota Wild. Misa rejoined the Sharks earlier in the week after helping Canada win a Bronze Medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Minnesota.
“We have a plan. We know we need to get (Misa) to play, and he needs to play games and get going here,” Warsofsky said. “So I don’t see him sitting too long.”
Misa practiced with the Sharks on Friday and was on the wing and at center during line rushes, raising the possibility that he could play the wing when he returns to the lineup.
“I think he looked good in his first practice,” Warsofsky said.
SMITH UPDATE
Sharks forward Will Smith seemingly took another step in his recovery from an upper body injury Saturday morning as he skated with a group of other players in a regular teal jersey. Smith was in a non-contact orange jersey for Friday’s practice.
Other players who skated Saturday morning were Klingberg, Misa and defensemen Vincent Desharnais and Shakir Mukhamadullin.
