PORTLAND, Oregon (Ticker) -- Rookie defenseman Lubomir Sekeras scored the tying goal early in the third period as the expansion Minnesota Wild rallied for a 3-3 tie with the San Jose Sharks in their first exhibition game.

With Minnesota trailing 3-2, Sekeras took a feed from Wes Walz before beating rookie goaltender Mikka Kiprusoff with just over 17 minutes remaining to knot the game. The Slovakian recorded seven goals and 31 points in 36 games for Trinec of the Czech League last season.

The Wild jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead just before the midway point of the first period on power-play goals by Scott Pellerin and Pascal Dupuis while limiting San Jose to just five shots through the first 20 minutes.

San Jose rookie Matt Bradley halved the deficit with the first of his two goals at the 10-minute mark of the first period before Shawn Heins' power-play goal tied it 75 seconds into the second. Bradley gave the Sharks their first lead with an unassisted goal just over seven minutes later.

Jamie McLennan started for the Wild and stopped 14 shots before Manny Fernandez turned aside all 14 attempts he faced after entering the game just past the midway point of the second period.

Sharks rookie Johan Hedberg and Kiprusoff split the goaltending duties and recorded 12 saves apiece.

Minnesota and the Columbus Blue Jackets both are entering their inaugural seasons in the NHL.