By Matthew T.F. Harrington

AP photo: San Jose Sharks Kevin Labanc (62) is mobbed by teammates following scoring a game winning overtime goal to beat the visiting Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night at SAP Center in the first pre season game

SAN JOSE, Calif. — In their first taste of action on SAP Center ice since game six of the Stanley Cup Final a mostly unfamiliar San Jose Sharks squad beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in overtime. The Sharks, without five starters due to the World Cup of Hockey and icing a roster mostly of rookies and training campers received goals from familiar faces Barclay Goodrow and Tommy Wingels but rookie Kevin LeBanc would score the game-winner just 1:05 into overtime. In total, San Jose was without Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Joe Thornton, Mikkel Boedker, Brent Burns and Logan Couture due to World Cup obligations while other regulars also sat.

San Jose needed a clutch tally with the net empty from Wingels to force overtime before giving the fresh face his moment. Netminders Troy Grosenick (8 saves), author of a 50-save shutout in his rookie season, and Mantas Armalis (7 saves) each allowed a Canucks goal as they battle frontrunner Aaron Dell for the right to back up Martin Jones with the big club.

Vancouver got on the board early, striking at even strength when Bo Horvat knocked in a rebound 2:06 into the Sharks preseason. Horvat was waiting to Grosenick’s left as winger Jake Virtanen fired a shot from the netminder’s right side. Grosenick made the save but the puck bounced to the opposite side for the easy Horvat conversion.

Goodrow’s first strike of the exhibition season game late in the second period, with the winger taking a shot pass from Kevin Labanc in the slot with his back to the net. The left-hand shot then turned on his backhand to face up goaltender Michael Garteig before sliding the puck into the Canucks net. Goodrow, a veteran of two NHL seasons, is looking to break camp with the Sharks after playing just 14 games with the Sharks last year before a demotion to the Barracuda of the AHL. He excelled there, finishing third on the team with 20 goals.

Vancouver would add what appeared to be the game-winner at the 8:24 mark of the third period. The Sharks comeback would make the Sven Baertschi tally just another meaningless preseason stat though once Wingels set in motion the theatrics.

Wingels, playing on a line with fellow NHL lock Chris Tierney and top prospect Nikolay Goldobin, managed to salvage the contest by beating Garteig for the tying goal with just 22 seconds left in regulation. The winger is looking to stay healthy after scoring the lowest goal total (7) in his last three seasons.

Vancouver opened the three-on-three overtime frantically, but a breakout the other way led to LaBanc skated down the wing uninhibited. The greenhorn beat Garteig top shelf, setting off what he hopes will be the first of many celebrations on a sheet of NHL ice. It was LaBanc’s second point after assisting on Goodrow’s goal. Offseason acquisition David Schlemko also had two points after assisting the final two Sharks goals.

The result reflected the body of work the Sharks established throughout the contest. San Jose peppered starter Richard Bachman and Garteig with 33 shots, but seemed stuck on just the one tally. The home team was 0 for 3 on the power play but killed of all five of Vancouver’s man-advantages for the victory.