SAN JOSE, Calif. _ The pace and intensity the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers played with Friday night in their first meeting of the season seemed to be a clear indication that there was more than first place in the Pacific Division at stake.
Perhaps it was also a time to set a certain tone.
Kevin Labanc scored twice, including the winner with 1:38 left in overtime, as the Sharks earned a 3-2 win over the Oilers at SAP Center.
Labanc took a pass from Logan Couture, skated toward the Edmonton net and lifted a shot over the left shoulder of Oilers goalie Cam Talbot as the Sharks struck first in what might become a burgeoning rivalry.
The Sharks now hold sole possession of first place in the Pacific going into the Christmas break, moving two points ahead of the Oilers, who came into Friday on a three-game win streak.
The Sharks went to the penalty box far more often than they would have liked, but killed all six of the Oilers' power play chances through regulation time. The Oilers, who came into Friday with the fifth-best power play in the NHL, had just five shots with the man advantage.
Joe Pavelski scored the game's opening goal in the second period, and Labanc gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead with 11:39 to go in the third.
The Oilers answered back both times, as Patrick Maroon's shot off a pass from Connor McDavid tied the game with 11:15 left, just 24 seconds after Labanc's fifth goal of the season.
Pavelski's 12th of the season came on the power play as he one-timed a pass from Brent Burns past Talbot just 31 seconds in the second period.
McDavid tied the game for the Oilers with 13:43 to go in the third, as his wrist shot from inside the Sharks' zone went off Marc-Edouard Vlasic, then Justin Braun, before it got past Martin Jones for his 13th goal of the season.
The Sharks next play the Oilers in Edmonton on Jan. 10, with the following game between the two teams in San Jose on Jan. 26.
They should be entertaining, if nothing else.
The Sharks outshot the Oilers 22-9 through the first two periods, which also saw a combined 36 penalty minutes. Brenden Dillon fought Matt Hendricks in the first period, and Micheal Haley dropped the gloves with Zack Kassian early in the second.
Haley centered the Sharks' fourth line as dressed for the fourth time in five games and for the 21st time this season.
Although Haley has just three assists, he brought a physical presence in what turned out to be a fairly feisty game Friday. Although their team speed stands out, the Oilers feature all kinds of beef with Maroon, Kassian and Milan Lucic supplying plenty of toughness.
Coach Pete DeBoer pointed out the Sharks's overall success this season with Haley in the lineup. The Sharks are 13-6-1 when Haley dresses for a game, and 7-6 when he sits.
"I don't think that's a coincidence," DeBoer said. "You can't underestimate the effect of having a guy that you know has your back and everyone else's in the lineup. That's important. We can say all we want that fighting's getting out the game and intimidation's getting out of the game. It's still a part of the game.
"This is still a physical, hard game where players can be intimidated. You need guys like that. The difference now is you need guys like that you can actually play so you can play four lines and he's one of those guys whose improved his game and he's been great all year for us."
Joel Ward was inserted back into the Sharks' lineup after a one-game absence and Tommy Wingels was a scratch. David Schlemko sat out a second straight game in favor of Dylan DeMelo, who was coming off what DeBoer felt might have been his best game of the season Tuesday when the Sharks beat Calgary 4-1.
"I'll tell you exactly what I told the players: Our only motivation is to put the best team on the ice to try and win the game tonight," DeBoer said Friday morning. "The Oilers obviously have speed, but they also have a significant amount of toughness to their group, too. So they bring a few things to the table.
"As a staff, we sit down and we pencil in the best lineup we can put together. Unfortunately, there's some good players that are sitting out. But that's the price you pay to play on a real good team."
_DeBoer said Tomas Hertl is improving from the right knee injury he suffered more than a month ago but didn't know when the 23-year-old power forward might begin to skate again. Hertl suffered a right knee sprain Nov. 17 in the Sharks' game against the St. Louis Blues. Five days later, Hertl had a procedure done to his knee the Sharks hope can prevent this type of injury from happening again.
Hertl worked out at the Sharks' practice facility Friday morning. Friday's game against the Edmonton Oilers marked the 17th straight that Hertl has missed. The Sharks were 11-4-1 in Hertl's absence before Friday.
"He feels great and (is) making significant progress," DeBoer said. "But I don't have a date yet when he's on the ice. He's doing workouts. He looks good. He's getting closer every day. I don't have date updates or anything like that, but making real good progress."
