Sharks get first win with Karlsson, defeat Kings in overtime

LOS ANGELES -- Kevin Labanc scored with 2:06 remaining in overtime to give the San Jose Sharks a 3-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on Friday.

Erik Karlsson had an assist on the game-winner for San Jose, which won its first game with the defenseman after losing its season opener 5-2 to the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.
"To get the first win, especially in Staples Center, it's a pretty good feeling and it's a great way to start the road games," Labanc said.
WATCH: [All Sharks vs. Kings highlights]
Evander Kane scored for the second straight game, Timo Meier scored, and Martin Jones made 19 saves for the Sharks, who started a five-game road trip. Antti Suomela got his first NHL point in his second game.
Tyler Toffoli and Anze Kopitar scored for the Kings, who have lost four of their past five season openers (1-3-1), all to the Sharks. Jonathan Quick made 30 saves.
"You know when you come in here you've got to be prepared to play a man's game and you've got to be prepared to battle in order to get two points," San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said. "Our guys, in my time here, have really risen to the occasion when we've come in here and done that."
Kings forward Ilya Kovalchuk played 20:15 in his first game in the NHL since the 2012-13 season; he had two shots and was plus-1.

Labanc caught Tanner Pearson in transition as the Kings forward was preparing to make a change and went to the net to score on Logan Couture's centering pass.
"We kind of caught them late in a shift. It was a great pass by [Logan] and I just kind of tucked it home," said Labanc, who scored his sixth NHL game-winning goal.
The Kings tied it 2-2 37 seconds into the second period. Toffoli shot between Jones' glove hand and the post to the short side after Pearson put the puck off the boards and it caromed back in front.
Meier gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead at 9:42 of the first period, with Marc-Edouard Vlasic's wrist shot hitting him in the shoulder while setting a screen and deflecting past Quick.

Kane made it 2-0 on a wrist shot from the right circle at 13:48. It was Kane's 16th point (six goals, 10 assists) in 19 games with San Jose since being acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 26. Suomela and Joonas Donskoi had the assists.
Kopitar made it 2-1 at 17:15. Derek Forbort's shot redirected off Alex Iafallo across the face of goal, and Kopitar got it at the back post.
"Once [we] got the first goal, we just kind of settled down and started making plays," Kopitar said. "Unfortunate to only get a point out of it, but I think we should be encouraged from this game. Obviously there is some stuff to work on, but it's the first game of the season, so not everything is going to be perfect."
San Jose was 0-for-3 on the power play for the second consecutive game. Los Angeles was 0-for-5 despite winning seven of nine face-offs.
"Sometimes we can't even get in the zone, it's unacceptable," Kovalchuk said. "(Coach) John [Stevens] put us out there. He believed in our skill and our willingness to do the right things, and we have to do it to be able to win."

They said it

"Well, they always say the Finns play a North American style, so they are easy to play with. They work well together, and I seem to work well with them." -- Sharks forward Evander Kane on playing with Antti Suomela and Joonas Donskoi on the third line

"Probably the most encouraging things were the way [Kopitar], Iafallo and Kovalchuk we're playing. Far and away the most jump Kovalchuk's had there, and he made a lot of things happen out there." -- Kings coach John Stevens

Need to know

Sharks forward Joe Thornton tied Phil Housley for 20th place in NHL games played (1,495). ... Kings defenseman Drew Doughty briefly left in the second period after being struck on the left knee by Meier's stick but was able to return three minutes later. Doughty played a Kings-high 27:53, second in the game to Karlsson's 29:27. ... Kings forward Austin Wagner had two shots playing 9:54 in his NHL debut. ... Linesman Darren Gibbs left with an injury, and the game was completed with three officials.

What's next

Sharks: At the New York Islanders on Monday (1 p.m. ET; SN360, SN1, MSG+, NBCSCA)
Kings: Host the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday (10:30 p.m. ET; FS-W, FS-D)