San Jose @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 28, 2018 ) San Jose 3, Toronto 5

Patrick Marleau is slated to play his club-record 1,500th game with the San Jose Sharks on Friday against the host Toronto Maple Leafs - the organization with which he spent the previous two seasons. Marleau notched an assist on Thursday as the Sharks earned at least one point for the fifth time in six games (4-1-1) with a 4-2 victory at Montreal.

Marleau, who recorded 43 goals and 84 points in 164 games with Toronto, will become the eighth player to suit up for at least 1,500 contests with one organization - joining Steve Yzerman, Johnny Bucyk, Nicklas Lidstrom, Gordie Howe, Ray Bourque, Shane Doan and Alex Delvecchio. “I don’t think anything Patty does ever amazes me anymore,” San Jose captain Logan Couture told the Mercury News. “He’s just so good. He’s the best player that I’ve practiced with, skating-wise, skill-wise, speed-wise. It seemed like he hasn’t lost a step, which is remarkable.” The Maple Leafs, who have won their last three meetings with the Sharks, have been inconsistent thus far this season and suffered a pair of losses this week - one in overtime to Columbus and the other a 4-2 defeat at Boston on Tuesday. “We need to be better,” Toronto's Auston Matthews told reporters after the loss to the Bruins. “I think it comes from the leadership group. I need to be better. All of us need to be better. I think we just need to look each other in the eye and hold each other accountable.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS California (San Jose), Sportsnet One, TVA (Toronto)

ABOUT THE SHARKS (4-5-1): Evander Kane scored a pair of power-play goals and added an assist in Thursday’s victory while Tomas Hertl set up three tallies as both pulled even with Couture and defenseman Brent Burns for the team lead at nine points. Kane’s goals helped improve San Jose’s percentage with the man advantage to 25.7, and the club successfully killed three penalties against Montreal to take over the league lead at 91.4 percent. Aaron Dell made 35 saves on Thursday en route to his second victory of the season, which likely gives Martin Jones (2-4-1, .894 save percentage) the start against the Maple Leafs.

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (5-4-2): Kasperi Kapanen has picked it up after a slow start to the season, registering three goals, three assists and a plus-4 rating over his last four games. Alexander Kerfoot matched Kapanen with a goal and an assist in Tuesday’s setback and has netted four tallies - second-most on the team behind Matthews (eight). Mitch Marner was kept off the scoresheet Tuesday but leads the team with 12 points while Matthews and defenseman Morgan Rielly have notched 11 over the first 11 contests of the season.

OVERTIME

1. Maple Leafs G Frederik Andersen has earned points in four consecutive games (3-0-1) but is 5-8-1 lifetime versus San Jose.

2. Marleau ranks fifth in NHL history with 1,663 games played and is three goals behind Bucyk (556) for 27th place on the all-time list.

3. Toronto has given up one power-play goal in each of its last four contests and eight overall this season.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 5, Sharks 3