Slow start proves fatal as Sharks lose to Toronto Maple Leafs

SAN JOSE – The toughest part for the San Jose Sharks right now isn’t that they’re on an 11-game losing streak.

It’s that this is already their second such skid of the season, and they’re not even halfway through the year.

The Sharks were largely outworked as they fell behind by two goals after two periods and were unable to recover in what became a 4-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday before an announced sellout crowd of 17,435 at SAP Center.

The Sharks (9-28-3) allowed a power play goal to Mitch Marner in the first period and an even-strength marker to Calle Jarnkrok near the end of the second that turned into the game-winner.

Mikael Granlund scored for San Jose with 8:03 left in regulation time to cut Toronto’s lead to 3-1, but William Nylander scored his second goal of the third period with 3:32 to go to seal the Maple Leafs win, as ex-Sharks goalie Martin Jones made 23 saves.

“I didn’t really love our compete tonight,” Sharks coach David Quinn said. “I thought we got out-worked and out-competed too often tonight.

“Listen, (the Leafs) have more talent than we do. Nobody is (denying) that, but we need to be way more consistent with our compete.”

Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood had another solid performance with 29 saves, although there were hiccups. Marner’s shot from near the faceoff dot to the right snuck by him on the short side, and Jarnkrok’s perimeter shot, with 42 seconds left before intermission, got past him before it slid into the back of the net.

Starting with their 1-0 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 15, the Sharks’ streak is now 0-11-0, as they’ve been outscored 47-16 along the way.

“I do think they outworked us,” Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro said of the Leafs. “I don’t quite think that we were the hardest-working team, which, for our group here, that can’t happen.”

The Sharks also went 0-10-1 to start the season. They’ve played a better brand of hockey in the last two months, but the results have been the same, with Saturday being a decided step in the wrong direction.

Quinn said Saturday was a “step back from the way we’ve been playing but, still, this would have been one of our better games in the first 10.”

The last time the Sharks had two losing streaks of at least 11 games in the same season was in 1992-93 when George Kingston was the head coach, Drew Remenda was part of his staff, and the team played at the Cow Palace in Daly City.

During that season 31 years ago, the Sharks had both a 13-game losing streak before Christmas and a staggering 17-game losing streak after the new year. Those two skids, plus plenty of losses in between, left them with a 6-48-2 record by mid-February.

San Jose finished that season at 11-72-2 for a .143 points percentage that remains the lowest in franchise history.

QUINN ON STUDNICKA: The Sharks re-assigned Jack Studnicka to the Barracuda on Friday. Studnicka was acquired by the Sharks on Dec. 15 from the Vancouver Canucks but had zero points and was a -6 in nine games as he averaged just over 11 minutes in ice time per game.

“Rewatching (Thursday’s) game, I liked his game. He was playing fast, he skated, was responsible,” Quinn said. “My regret is we didn’t use him on the penalty kill. I should have used him on the penalty kill, especially the way the penalty kill has been going.

“We should have given him an opportunity and that’s the one big regret from my end. So he’s going to kill a lot of penalties down there and keep building on what he did here.”

STURM ON TRIP: Quinn said Nico Sturm (hand/wrist injury) is still considered week-to-week but will join the Sharks on the road trip. Sturm, a faceoff and penalty-killing leader, was injured on Dec. 12 against Winnipeg, and the Sharks now have a 0-14-0 record this season without him in the lineup.

Sturm, considering his skill set, told Bay Area News Group last month that he won’t return until he feels ready to play at 100% again.

OTHER INJURY UPDATES: Forward Givani Smith (lower body) is still considered week-to-week, Quinn said. Smith was injured by a hit from Arizona Coyotes defenseman Matt Dumba on Dec. 21 and hasn’t played since. … Forward/defenseman Jacob MacDonald (lower body) also remains week-to-week, Quinn said.