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Labanc outshines McDavid for
Pacific Division lead Rookie forward scores a pair
of goals in OT win
With the Edmonton Oilers in town in the battle for
Pacific Division supremacy, there was a youth exhibit on display on SAP Center
ice on Friday night. Both teams sport a few players under 25 that are key
contributors. NHL poster-boy Connor McDavid showed everyone in the South Bay
why he's the new face of the NHL, but it was Sharks rookie Keving Labanc that
decided the game, scoring a pair of goals for San Jose. Labanc's 2nd goal came
in the overtime period to give the Sharks a 3-2 victory and sole possession of
the Pacific Division lead.
Labanc scored a key 3rd period goal, but
his goal in the extra period gave the Sharks the 2 points. The rookie took a
feed from Logan Couture in the right corner, before skating to the net and
roofing a shot past Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot. The stars aligned for the
Sharks on the play, as both McDavid and Milan Lucic peeled away from the puck
skating away from their own net.
Both Oiler forwards left defenseman
Oscar Klefbom to try and handle both Sharks forwards, which wasn't going to
happen. Labanc elected to go top shelf on Talbot near side, slipping the shot
past Talbot's glove for his first career multi-goal game.
The ending
was fitting, given the Sharks performance for most of the game. They were the
better team, out-chancing the Oilers all night long.
A too many men
penalty on San Jose in the opening period almost turned into gold for the
Sharks, when Melker Karlsson sprang past the Oilers on a short-handed
breakaway. Karlsson tried to move around Talbot on the right side, but his
scoring attempt was gloved off a nice glove save.
The Sharks killed an
interference penalty to Mikeal Boedker later in the period, then went on the
power play after Matt Hendricks drew a roughing penalty on the front end of a
fight with Brendan Dillon at the end of the period.
The Hendricks
penalty carried over into the 2nd period, where the Sharks converted on a one
time blast off the stick of Joe Pavelski. Brent Burns setup the shot with a
pass from the point that Pavelski tee'd up and ripped past Talbot. The puck
sailed under the crossbar, catching the left corner.
Matt Kassian and
Micheal Haley dropped the gloves in a spirited bout at 2:34 of the period,
which continued the physical play. Things got chippy later in the period when
Kassian decided to extend things by cross checking Dillon and sucker punching
him while the linesman tried separating the two. Kassian earned a double minor
for his trouble, but the Sharks power play would not make the Oilers pay.
The Sharks were cruising along in the 3rd period when Oilers phenom
COnnor McDavid scored one of the luckiest goals you'll ever see. The Oilers
captain caried the puck up the right wing and fired a puck that hit
Marc-Edouard Vlasic in the skate, deflecting it into the slot where it hit
Justin Braun in the skate. The second 90 degree redirection sent the puck into
the Sharks net to tie the game at 1-1.
San Jose responded less than 2 minutes later, when
Kevin Labanc sent a one-time feed from Logan Couture past Talbot on a 2-on-1
break. Labanc skated up the left wing with Couture flanking him on the right
side.
McDavid and company answered on the very next shift. The 2nd
year forward carried the puck up the left wing boards before sending a pass to
Patrick Maroon on the off wing for a shot that handcuffed Jones. The goal was
Maroon's 10th of the season.
San Jose took a pair of penalties in the
latter half of the 3rd period, putting themselves into a precarious spot
against one of the better power plays in the league. San Jose would kill both
infractions, and finished the evening a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill.
Labanc sent the sellout crowd home happy, heading into the NHL's
Christmas break. No trades can occur during the break, which lasts through next
week.
Game Notes:
* Joe Thornton recorded his 700th
assist as a Sharks on the Pavelski goal. Brent Burns recorded his 300th career
assist on the same goal.
* Connor McDavid finished the game with a
goal and an assist on 26 shifts over 23:47 of ice time. He had 3 shots on goal.
* Four Shark skaters finished the evening with 4 or more shots,
including Brent Burns, who led the team with 5. Burns had a pair of assists to
extend his team lead in scoring.
* Zack Kassian didn't touch the ice
in the 3rd period after his decision to go after Dillon and put his team in a
tight spot with his double minor.
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1 |
2 |
3 |
OT |
T |
EDM |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
SJ |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
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2nd period - 1, SJ,
Pavelski12 (Burns, Thornton), 0:31, (pp). |
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3rd period - 2, EDM,
McDavid 13 (Sekera), 6:17. 3, SJ, Labanc 5 (Couture, Pavelski), 8:21. 4, EDM,
Maroon 10 (McDavid, Gryba), 8:45. |
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Overtime - 5, SJ, Labanc
6 (Couture, Burns), 3:22. |
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1st period - Bench, SJ
(too many men), 6:26; Boedker, SJ (interference), 17:05; Hendricks, EDM
(roughing), 19:21; Hendricks, EDM (fighting major), 19:21; Dillon, SJ (fighting
major), 19:21. |
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2nd period - Kassian,
EDM (fighting major), 2:34; Haley, SJ (fighting major), 2:34; Braun, SJ
(holding), 4:07; Beck, EDM (tripping), 6:23; Kassian, EDM (cross checking),
12:22; Kassian, EDM (roughing), 12:22; Pavelski, SJ (hooking), 16:16. |
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3rd period - Braun, SJ
(tripping), 13:28; Meier, SJ (delay of game - puck over glass), 16:20. |
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Shots |
Saves |
EDM - Talbot |
31 |
28 |
SJ - Jones |
18 |
16 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
OT |
T |
EDM |
5 |
4 |
9 |
0 |
18 |
SJ |
10 |
13 |
7 |
1 |
31 |
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Referees:
Schlenker, St Pierre. Linesmen: Grandt, Galloway. |
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