SHARKSPAGE

WorSharks Still Having Problems Closing Out Opponents, Drop 3-2 Contest to Albany

The Worcester Sharks, playing without leading scorer Benn Ferriero, allowed a last minutes goal to give up the lead and then went scoreless in the shootout to drop a 3-2 decision to the Albany Devils Friday night at the DCU center in Worcester, Massachusetts in front of 3,419 fans.

The Devils franchise, which made an off season move from Lowell to Albany, were eliminated from last season’s Calder Cup playoffs by the WorSharks. Despite the move and the new season memories of the very physical series were still very fresh in the player’s minds, and that set the tone for the game. Despite the heavy hitting, referee Jeff Smith called just three minors–one of them an automatic delay of game minor to Albany’s Dan Kelly–and the end to end play of the game resulted in the shortest overtime/shootout game in the AHL in at least three seasons. And it could have been even shorter had it not been for a defensive lapse by Worcester in the last minute of regulation.

The opening period saw no penalties and very few whistles as both squads threw big hits and had decent scoring chances turned aside by good back checking or saves by Albany netminder Mike McKenna and WorSharks goaltender Carter Hutton. Worcester had the two best chances, with Jonathan Cheechoo ringing one off the crossbar and Andrew Desjardins almost banging one home from a bad angle just as the period expired. Worcester had the edge early in the second period and but it was Albany that had what looked like a sure tally when Matt Anderson fired the puck at a yawning net after a scramble in the WorSharks end. As the Albany forwards raised their sticks to begin celebrating Hutton dove across the crease and made an incredible highlight reel paddle save to keep the game scoreless.

Despite the great save Albany continued to pressure Worcester and took the lead after converting on a three on one break in. With WorSharks defenseman Joe Loprieno as the lone defender back Devils defenseman David McIntyre’s outlet pass found Nick Palmieri racing down the right wing. Loprieno played it well, blocking the passing lane and keeping Palmieri to the outside, but Palmieri’s wrist shot from the face-off dot beat Hutton to the far post at 7:36.

It was Tommy Wingles’ fourth of the season on a nice bounce that knotted the game for Worcester. James Marcou jumped on a loose puck behind the Albany net and fired a hard pass to Cheechoo in the right wing circle. Cheechoo’s pass into the slot was deflected twice by defenders but bounced right onto the backhand of Wingles. The rookie forward held the puck for just a second as McKenna dove across leaving the upper part if the net undefended. Wingles easily flipped it into the wide open area to light the lamp.

Neither team could connect on their second period power play chance, with Albany failing to score on Loprieno’s head scratching interference minor and Worcester missing during Palmieri’s roughing minor that straddled the second intermission. The WorSharks would capitalize on their second power play chance to give them a 2-1 lead. With Kelly for clearing the puck into the stands Marcou and Cheechoo played give-and-go with the puck, resulting in a Cheechoo blast that rang off the crossbar and dropped into the net at 3:53. Justin Braun had the second assist on the goal.

Worcester then went into a defensive stance, and did a decent job of keeping the Devils from having a great scoring chance and keeping any rebounds chances. Albany would pull McKenna for an extra attacker, and unfortunately for the WorSharks it would take just a single shot to lose their lead after Matt Anderson into the center from the left wing boards and fire a shot off the far post. The puck looked to rebound off the post and then hit Hutton in the back, rolling back into the net.

After a scoreless overtime the game went into a shootout with Cheechoo, Brandon Mashinter, T.J. Trevelyan, Steven Zalewski, and Wingles all missing for Worcester. Hutton stopped the first four Devils attempts before Anderson scored through the five hole for the 3-2 final.

GAME NOTES
Just prior to the start of the game San Jose recalled Benn Ferriero to take the place of Joe Thornton, who was suspended two games for what appeared to this writer to be a legal open ice hit on St Louis’ David Perron. In another transaction earlier during the week, Mike Moore was assigned to Worcester after clearing waivers. Matt Irwin, Tony Lucia, and Cam MacIntyre did not dress for the WorSharks. Alex Stalock was the backup goaltender for the second game in a row.

While referee Jeff Smith was doing his best to stay out of the action, linesman Frank Murphy kept finding himself right in the middle of it. It would be only a slight exaggeration to say he was hit with the puck more than the goaltenders were, and several times he picked off players as they skated by. Luckily for both teams none of those events had a huge impact on play or resulted in a scoring chance.

The three stars of the game were
1. WOR – 14 Jonathan Cheechoo (g,a)
2. ALB – 29 Matt Anderson (g,shootout game winner)
3. WOR – 19 James Marcou (2a)

The Sharkspage player of the game was Justin Braun.

Even strength lines
Trevelyan/DaSilva(Zalewski)/Cheechoo
Henderson/Desjardins/Zalewski(DaSilva)
Mashinter/Wingles/Marcou
(everyone)/Quirk/Hunt

Moore/Schaus
Braun/Leach
Petrecki/Sullivan
Loprieno/(everyone)

Penalty Kill Lines
Desjardins/Henderson
Quirk/Wingles

Moore/Schaus
Braun/Leach

Power Play Lines
Trevelyan/Cheechoo/Marcou
Mashinter/Wingles/Zalewski

Braun/Sullivan
Moore/Schaus

BOXSCORE
Albany 0 1 1 0 – 3
Worcester 0 1 1 0 – 2

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

2nd Period-1, Albany, Palmieri 1 (McIntyre), 7:36. 2, Worcester, Wingels 4 (Marcou, Cheechoo), 12:16. Penalties-Loprieno Wor (interference), 14:46; Palmieri Alb (roughing), 18:54.

3rd Period-3, Worcester, Cheechoo 4 (Marcou, Braun), 3:53 (PP). 4, Albany, Anderson 2 (Sestito, Wiseman), 19:13. Penalties-Kelly Alb (delay of game), 2:12.

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

Shootout – Albany 1 (Henrique NG, Swift NG, Tedenby NG, Wiseman NG, Anderson G), Worcester 0 (Cheechoo NG, Mashinter NG, Trevelyan NG, Zalewski NG, Wingels NG).
Shots on Goal-Albany 6-8-8-2-1-25. Worcester 11-7-8-1-0-27.
Power Play Opportunities-Albany 0/1; Worcester 1/2.
Goalies-Albany, McKenna 2-2-0 (27 shots-25 saves). Worcester, Hutton 1-0-1 (24 shots-22 saves).
A-3,419
Referee-Jeff Smith (49). Linesmen-Frank Murphy (29), Jim Briggs (83).