Morning Skate: Sharks homestand ends vs improving Leafs

Programming note 
Sharks-Maple Leafs coverage starts this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California

Where they stand
Sharks: 18-17-2, 38 points, 6th Pacific Division
Maple Leafs: 16-16-7, 39 points, 7th Atlantic Division

The latest

Sharks: A 2-1 defeat to the Red Wings on Thursday was the Sharks’ sixth home loss in their last seven, with Joel Ward getting their only goal. San Jose is 1-3 on a five-game homestand that concludes this afternoon, and remains a league-worst 5-12-0 in its own building.

Maple Leafs: Los Angeles claimed a 2-1 win over Toronto on Thursday at Staples Center. The Leafs are concluding a three-game swing through California that started with a 4-0 shutout defeat of the Ducks on Wednesday. Toronto is 8-3-2 in its last 13.

Keep an eye on…

Sharks: Chris Tierney. The fourth line center had a productive two-game stint in the AHL with three points (1g, 2a) and a +3 rating earlier this week. Tierney responded to a demotion last year (albeit for a much longer stretch) when he was recalled in early February, so we’ll see if he can pick up his game after a disappointing first half so far with just eight points (3g, 5a) and a -12 rating in 36 games.

Maple Leafs: Leo Komarov. The 28-year-old Finnish forward has 12 points (5g, 7a) in his last 11 games, and leads Toronto with 15 goals. A sixth round pick in 2006, Komarov’s 180 hits leads Toronto and is second in the NHL.

Probable lines

Sharks
Tomas Hertl – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Matt Nieto – Patrick Marleau – Joel Ward
Melker Karlsson – Logan Couture – Joonas Donskoi
Tommy Wingels – Chris Tierney – Mike Brown

Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon – Dylan DeMelo

Martin Jones
Alex Stalock

Maple Leafs
James van Riemsdyk – Tyler Bozak – P.A. Parenteau
Michael Grabner – Nazem Kadri – Leo Komarov
Daniel Winnik – Peter Holland – Joffrey Lupul
Shawn Matthias – Mark Arcobello – Brad Boyes

Jake Gardiner – Dion Phaneuf
Matt Hunwick – Morgan Rielly
Martin Marincin – Roman Polak

Jonathan Bernier (confirmed starter)
James Reimer

Vitals

Sharks
Goals per game: 2.66 (14th)
Goals-against per game: 2.84 (25th)
Power play: 21.3 percent (7th)
Penalty kill: 81.3 percent (12th)

Maple Leafs
Goals per game: 2.56 (17th)
Goals-against per game: 2.59 (15th)
Power play: 18.9 percent (14th)
Penalty kill: 80.3 percent (17th)

Injuries/Scratches

Sharks: Dainius Zubrus (undisclosed) is day-to-day.

Maple Leafs: Byron Froese (lower body) is day-to-day. Stephane Robidas (knee), Nick Spaling (upper body), Garret Sparks (lower body) are out.

Season series

On. Dec. 17 at Air Canada Centre, Brent Burns’ overtime goal gave San Jose a 5-4 win. Burns and Joe Pavelski each had one goal and two assists on the night, as the Sharks erased a two-goal third period deficit.

San Jose is 10-1-0 in its last 11 games against the Leafs, including six straight wins.

Odds and ends

*The Sharks are 0-18-1 in their last 19 home games when allowing the first goal (per Elias).

*Toronto has scored the first goal 14 times this season, the second-fewest in the NHL.

*San Jose has 40-plus shots on goal in five straight games against the Maple Leafs.

*In his last 15 starts, Martin Jones is 5-8-2 with a 3.05 goals-against average and .888 save percentage.

*The Sharks have the NHL’s best power play since Nov. 22 (19-for-66, 28.8 percent).