Labanc's OT goal sends Sharks past Oilers
SAN JOSE, Calif. – Kevin Labanc scored at 3:22 of overtime to give the San Jose Sharks a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers in a battle for first place in the Pacific Division on Thursday night.
Logan Couture set up the rookie right wing with a pass from the left corner as Labanc beat Oilers goalie Cam Talbot in close for his second goal of the game and sixth of the season.
The Sharks held a 30-18 edge in shots through regulation but let two one-goal leads slip away.
San Jose took a 2-1 lead after Connor McDavid tied the score early in the third period when Labanc capped a two-on-one by one-timing a Couture feed for his fifth goal of the season past Talbot at 8:21.
The lead, however, lasted only 24 seconds before McDavid set up Patrick Maroon for a wrister at the right dot during a three-on-two rush that beat Sharks goalie Martin Jones at 8:45. It was Maroon's 10th goal of the season.
McDavid broke a six-game goal-less streak at 6:17 of the third period, but it took a little luck for the second-year star to notch his 13th goal of the season.
McDavid spun around Joonas Donskoi at center and, from the top of the right circle, let go of a drive that caromed off both Sharks defensemen -- first Marc-Edouard Vlasic then Justin Braun -- and into the far corner of the net on only Edmonton's 11th shot of the game.
The Sharks produced the game's only goal after 40 minutes. San Jose also enjoyed a 22-9 edge in shots, including 12-4 in the second period in which Edmonton managed only one shot on goal in the final 10 minutes.
After a scoreless opening period, San Jose converted on a carry-over power play 31 seconds into the second period.
Captain Joe Pavelski got all of a one-timer from the right dot to beat late-moving Talbot for his 12th goal of the season. Defenseman Brent Burns fed Pavelski's wheelhouse with a cross-ice pass from the right point.
The power play was a result of Matt Hendricks stepping in for Zack Kassian, engaging San Jose defenseman Brenden Dillon but drawing a roughing penalty in the process at 19:21 of the first period.
The opening 40 minutes was as much a battle of special teams as anything. Edmonton was 0 of 4 with only three shots produced during 7:54 of man-advantage skating.
The Sharks put eight shots on net during their 7:04 of power-play time spread over four chances.
Talbot kept the Oilers in the game early with excellent saves in the opening period. He denied Sharks forward Melker Karlsson on a short-handed breakaway in the opening seven minutes with a diving glove save.
Patrick Marleau's shot on a two-on-one four minutes later caromed off Talbot's pad and just over the stick of pinching defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who was looking at an open net.
NOTES: San Jose F Tomas Hertl missed his 17th straight game because of a knee injury and a subsequent minor procedure to implant internal bracing to hopefully prevent additional setbacks. Hertl, 23, is skating again, but there is no timetable for his return. "He feels great and (is) making significant progress," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said of Hertl, injured on Nov. 17. "He's getting closer every day." ... Edmonton enjoys a five-day break until next hosting Los Angeles on Thursday. San Jose is next in action on Tuesday at Anaheim. ... The Oilers continue to play without injured F Iiro Pakarinen (knee), D Darnell Nurse (ankle surgery), D Mark Fayne (groin) and RW Tyler Pitlick (torn ACL), who is out for the remainder of the season. ... San Jose C Tommy Wingels was a healthy scratch and RW Joel Ward returned to the lineup after sitting out two of the last three as a coach's decision. D David Schlemko was a healthy scratch for a second straight game, with D Dylan DeMelo taking his spot. LW Matt Nieto also did not dress for the Sharks. ... Edmonton RW Taylor Beck appeared in just his third game of the season, replacing rookie RW Jesse Puljujarvi. D Matthew Benning was also a healthy scratch for the Oilers.