National Hockey League
San Jose 3, Edmonton 2
When: 10:30 PM ET, Friday, December 23, 2016
Where: SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, California
Referees: Justin St. Pierre, Chris Schlenker
Linesmen: Ryan Galloway, John Grandt
Attendance: 17562

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Kevin Labanc has been a lifesaver for a team that has struggled to score goals.

The rookie winger's second goal of the game came 3:22 into overtime to give the San Jose Sharks a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers in an early-season battle for first place in the Pacific Division at SAP Center on Thursday.

"That's a good way to go into the break," Labanc said. "It's even better that we're first in the standings ... couldn't be happier."

San Jose won for the sixth time in seven games to take a two-point lead in the division standings into the three-day break. The Sharks also held Edmonton's potent power play without a conversion in six tries.

"We clawed our way just to stay alive," Oilers coach Todd McLellan said. "We were never in that game. They were better than us in every facet of the game. It was a disappointing performance but we'll steal the point and move on."

Logan Couture set up the winner with a pass from the left corner as Labanc beat Oilers goalie Cam Talbot in close for his sixth goal in 21 games since promotion from the minors.

"(I was) battling for it, took a peak out of the corner of my eye and saw their two guys had left the zone," Couture said. "He was yelling for the puck, found him alone ... it was a nice finish for him."

“It was just a really good forecheck by Logan," Labanc added. "I was sort of left alone. I saw where the goalie's glove was, kind of behind him, and I was going to shoot there.”

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 things early in the third period when Labanc capped a two-on-one by one-timing a Couture feed for his fifth goal past Talbot at 8:21.

"He scores goals," Couture said of Labanc. "For a team that's struggling to score goals right now he consistently creates chances and scores for us. He's done a tremendous job."

The lead, however, lasted for 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 and then Justin Braun -- and into the far corner of the net on only Edmonton's 11th shot of the game.

"Off two skates and in, and the second one he makes a nice play on a three-on-two and ends up in our net," Couture said of McDavid. "Other than that, I thought we did a pretty good job not giving him too much."

The loss snapped Edmonton's three-game winning streak in the first of what should be an interesting five-game season series against the defending West champs.

"They battle hard, they play a tough game," McDavid said. "We did a good job of finding a way to get a point, but we shot ourselves in the foot too many times."

The Sharks produced the game's only goal after 40 minutes. San Jose also enjoyed a 23-9 edge in shots, including 13-4 in the middle period in which Edmonton managed only one shot on goal over 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.

"I thought we played really well, controlled a lot of the game," Jones said. "Penalty kill was outstanding again. We didn't give them much time to set up or makes plays."

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.
Top Game Performances
 
Edmonton   San Jose
Connor McDavid 2 Points Kevin Labanc 2
Connor McDavid 1 Goals Kevin Labanc 2
Connor McDavid 1 Assists Brent Burns 2
N/A Power Play Goals Joe Pavelski 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Cam Talbot .903 Save Percentage Martin Jones .889
Cam Talbot 28 Saves Martin Jones 16
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Edmonton 18 2 0-6 3-4 18 35
San Jose 31 3 1-4 6-6 22 33
Upcoming Games
  • San Jose will play their next game on the road against Anaheim. The Sharks have a W/L % of .650 after a win and .571 after a loss.
  • Edmonton will play their next game at home against Los Angeles. The Oilers have a W/L % of .611 after a win and .389 after a loss.