Labanc Scores 2nd Goal in OT, Lifts Sharks Over Oilers
SAN JOSE (CBS/AP) -- Kevin Labanc scored his second goal of the game 3:24 into overtime and the San Jose Sharks beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on Friday night for their sixth victory in seven games.
Joe Pavelski also scored to send the Sharks into the Christmas break in first place in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the second-place Oilers. Martin Jones made 16 saves.
The Sharks prevailed when Logan Couture got the puck below the goal line and fed Labanc, who skated in and beat Cam Talbot on the short side for his sixth of the season.
Connor McDavid and Patrick Maroon each scored a tying goal in the third period for the Oilers, but they never managed to take the lead as their three-game winning streak was snapped. Talbot made 28 saves.
San Jose controlled play for most of the game and held a 1-0 lead before things opened up with three goals in less than 3 minutes in the third period.
The Oilers tied it with help from a fortunate bounce when McDavid's shot pinballed off Sharks defenders Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun and past Jones to make it 1-all.
Just more than 2 minutes later, Pavelski corralled the puck near center ice and sent Couture in on a 2-on-1 rush. Couture slid a pass to Labanc, who beat Talbot with a one-timer.
Before the crowd even settled down, McDavid went to work again and the Oilers tied it 24 seconds later when Maroon took a pass from McDavid and beat Jones to tie it at 2.
The first of five matchups this season between the teams was rather heated, with a pair of fights, numerous hard hits and a few smaller scraps as both clubs appeared to be trying to set the tone for the season series.
The Sharks killed off two early penalties against the NHL's top road power play before getting their first chance with the man advantage late in the first period when Matt Hendricks got an extra roughing penalty after a fight with Brenden Dillon.
San Jose converted on the power play in the opening minute of the second when Brent Burns set up Pavelski for a one-timer from the faceoff circle that beat Talbot to make it 1-0.
The Sharks had a golden chance to add to the lead when Zack Kassian was sent to the box for 4 minutes for roughing and cross-checking Dillon midway through the second period. Kassian also appeared to hit a linesman during the scrap but wasn't given an additional penalty.
The Oilers killed off both penalties and then got their fourth chance with the man advantage when Pavelski was called for hooking with 6 seconds remaining on Kassian's penalties.
But Edmonton failed to even get a shot on goal as the Oilers were held to just nine overall through two periods, including a good chance for Brandon Davidson that Jones stopped in the closing minute of the second.
NOTES: There was another fight in the second period when San Jose's Micheal Haley squared off with Kassian. ... F Joel Ward returned to the lineup for San Jose in place of Tommy Wingels. ... D David Schlemko was a healthy scratch for the second straight game for the Sharks. Dylan DeMelo got the nod in his place.
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