"Way too costly": NHL insider makes his thoughts clear about Maple Leafs' loss to Sharks amidst playoff race

The Toronto Maple Leafs lost 6-5 in a shootout to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday at SAP Center. NHL insider Darren Dreger reviewed the game on Friday's episode of the "1st Up with Korolnek & Colaiacovo" podcast, stating the loss was too costly given the playoff race.

“If it's game 20 of the regular season, I think, you know, you're entertained by it," Dreger said. [1:43] "Maybe wildly entertained, based on what we saw in overtime, and, last to what, less than one minute - regulation of Tavares going and then the collection of talents assembled on the tying Nylander goal."

Dreger added that the game was entertaining - particularly the final minute of regulation: John Tavares scored with 59 seconds left on the timer and William Nylander tied the game with 14 seconds remaining. The NHL insider praised Toronto’s top players - including Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly - for their effort but stressed that the Maple Leafs shouldn't have lost to the Sharks at this point in the season.

"But at this stage of the regular season, you can't lose to the San Jose Sharks. It's just... way too costly a point to give up," Dreger added. [2:18] "You cannot lose that game to the San Jose Sharks when you're clearly in a fight for the division crown with one of, if not still, the best team in hockey, the Florida Panthers."

Darren Dreger pointed out several issues with the Maple Leafs’s performance. He said they had a bad first period and struggled on the power play.

"So what I saw, they had a bad first period. They settled down. We saw what we saw in the third period; the power play worked until it didn't. They give up the short-handed goal. I mean, there's lots of areas that at this point of the regular season can't be expected, let alone happen.” Dreger said.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers are neck and neck in the Atlantic Division title race. Their shootout loss to the Sharks earned them one point, temporarily allowing them to take the top spot on the points table.

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John Tavares and William Nylander gave last-minute effort, but the Maple Leafs lose to Sharks

The game began with Tyler Toffoli scoring first for San Jose. While William Nylander tied the score with a powerplay goal, Collin Graf's short-handed goal earned the lead back for the Sharks. The second period saw plenty of back-and-forth goals: Sharks went up 3-1 and Auston Matthews cut it to 3-2 for the Maple Leafs. Later, San Jose responded 4-2 but Scott Laughton made it 4-3 for Toronto.

In the third period, Toffoli's second powerplay goal put the Sharks ahead 5-3. But John Tavares made it 5-4 in the final minute, and Nylander forced overtime. Toronto had chances but could not score in the shootout.