Worcester Sharks edged by the Providence Bruins

Worcester Sharks goaltender #32 Alex Stalock. Mandatory credit: Worcester Sharks media department

Alex Stalock is looking to get back to his winning ways as he entered the contest riding a two game losing skid.  The Sharks are riding a three game winning streak against their division rivals Bruins and are seeking their fourth on the season series.  Sharks forward Tim Kennedy was recently name CCM/AHL Player of the Week.  Kennedy scored five goals (plus one shootout goal) and posted a plus-5 rating in three road games to help the Sharks regain first place in the AHL’s Atlantic Division.

Worcester Sharks injury report:  The Sharks were without the services of defenseman Taylor Doherty, defenseman Danny Groulx, and defenseman Nick Petrecki.  Sebastian Stalberg was a healthy for the Sharks.

Worcester Sharks forward #21 Travis Oleksuk. Mandatory credit: Worcester Sharks media department.

Both teams entered the contest trading some slashing blows as they set the tone early on.  In addition, both teams put the goaltenders to work early as Worcester and Providence put rubber on net at two shots apiece.  Sena Acolaste would get the first penalty of game for Worcester has he hammered Justin Florek as he was called for roughing at 5:05 of the first period.  One Providence’s first man advantage, the Sharks penalty unit would be tested early as the Bruins failed to convert keeping the game knotted at zero.  Moments later, Sharks forward Travis Oleksuk hammered the puck past Hutchinson for his second goal of the season with assists from Yanni Gourde who stamped his second and Jon Matsumoto third of the year to put Worcester ahead 1-0.  Following the goal a fight broke out between resident tough guy Frazer McLaren of Worcester and Bruins tough guy Lane MacDermid as McLaren would eventually knock him out in TKO fashion as both were charged with five minutes for fighting.  Minutes later another scrum ensued but the refs would quickly split to two teams up so that play could continue.  At 14:04  of the first, Bruins would get their second power play of the game when Sharks defenseman Matt Pelech would go off for cross checking.  The Bruins would once again come up short on the man advantage as Worcester successfully killed of their second pk of the game.  A 16:50 of the first, Worcester would get their man advantage opportunity when forward Bobby Robins of Providence who got called for high sticking.  While on the man advantage, the Bruins would another penalty as Providence defenseman Colby Cohen got called for delay of game at 18:39.  Sharks would not score on the five on three opportunity but Providence would get called for another penalty as Chris Bourque son of former NHLer Ray Bourque went off for hooking at 19:06, thus putting Worcester back on the 5 on 3 power play opportunity.  The Sharks would go into the intermission with some carry over power play time for the second with one goal lead.  On the shot clock, Providence would have a slight edge over Worcester at 9-7.

Worcester Sharks forward #11 Jon Matsumoto. Mandatory credit: Worcester Sharks media department

Sharks entered the second stanza on the five on three power play that was awarded to them from the first and put the Bruins pk unit to work in the early stages of the second.  On the man advantage, Worcester would not convert as the score remained at 1-0 Sharks.  Worcester and Providence traded some slashes at one another to make it interesting.  While that happened, Sharks Matt Pelech was called for hooking at 8:10 of the middle frame.  The physicality picked up as a Providence player targeted Sena Acolaste that caused him to loose his stick.  Moments before the penalty had ended Providence nearly tied the game as Stalock lost sight of the puck causing a mad scramble in front of his crease as the puck finally appeared and Stalock made a spectacular save keeping Worcester’s lead intact.  Over a minute later, Bruins Cohen would get his second penalty of the game as he was charged with delay of game infraction at 11:47 of the second.  On their fourth man advantage opportunity, Worcester encountered some push back by Providence as they denied the Sharks to increase their one goal lead and remained a perfect 4/4 on the pk to keep it at 1-0 Worcester.  On the shot clock, the Sharks would over the Providence Bruins by five shots at 19-14.  The two clubs would go into the second intermission with Worcester maintaining their one goal thus protecting Stalock’s shutout bid.

Worcester Sharks forward #18 Yanni Gourde. Mandatorty credit: Worcester Sharks media department

In the early stages of the final frame, Bruins would score off of a deflection shot that past Worcester Sharks goaltender Alex Stalock to tie it up at 1-1.  Goal was scored by Jamie Tardif and his eighth of the season with assists from Zach Trotman who stamped his fifth and Ryan Spooner with his ninth of the year at 2:20 of the third ending Stalocks shutout bid.  Shortly after Providence tied the game, James Livingston would get called for hooking at 4:08 of the games final stanza.  During the finale frame, Worcester would maintain their five shot advantage over Providence. Several minutes later, the Bruins got caught on a sloppy line change as they were assessed with a bench minor for too many men on ice. On the man advantage opportunity, Worcester Brodie Reid ripped it left side past Bruins Hutchinson with his third of the season with assists from Acolatse who added his 11th and Kennedy with his 13th of the year to put Worcester back in the lead at 2-1 ending Providence’s perfect pk streak of the night.  Moments later on a breakaway opportunity by Bruins Ryan Spooner went in all alone as Worcester’s Stalock made the best save of night to keep it 2-1 Sharks.  After the Sharks scored, the Bruins would after video review when Bartkowski rocketed it past Stalock with assists coming from Bourque and Warsofsky would knot the game up a 2 goals apiece.  The contest would not be decided in regulation the game would go to overtime as Worcester with a one shot lead over Providence at 29-28.

In the extra frame, Worcester drew a penalty at 1:58 when Bartkowski went off for hooking.  There we be only seven shots on goal as there was scoring as the game proceeded to a sudden death shootout.  In the sixth round of the shootout Maxime Sauve would score the only goal as Providence defeated Worcester 3-2 and marked their first win of season against the Sharks.  Worcester edged the Bruins on the shot clock with 34-30

3 Stars of the game:

1. PRO – 7 Maxime Sauve
2. WOR – 32 Alex Stalock
3. PRO – 12 Matt Bartkowski

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