SHARKSPAGE

Desjardins Overtime Tally Lifts WorSharks Over Bridgeport, 2-1

The Worcester Sharks got a solid goaltending performance from Carter Hutton and threw 40 shots on net, but it took an Andrew Desjardins overtime tally to defeat the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2-1 Saturday night at the newly renamed Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Connecticut in front of an announced crowd of 5,145.

Despite their offensive woes lately it was Worcester that got on the board first when some hard work by Cory Quirk resulted in a Chris Lawrence tally from in close. After a turnover by Bridgeport defenseman Ty Wishart set the WorSharks up in the offensive zone, Matt Irwin fired the puck along the right wing boards in deep to Quirk behind the net. The diminutive forward fought off both Mark Katic and David Ullstrom and threw a pass from behind the goal line through traffic–it actually went between Joe Loprieno’s legs–cross the top of the crease to Lawrence, who batted the puck past Sound Tigers netminder Mikko Koskinen at 14:04 of the first period. Lawrence was wide open because when Wishart went to the net to mark Loprieno the defenseman playing at forward shrugged off Wishart’s check and knocked him to the ice. The goal wasn’t Lawrence’s first in the AHL, but it may have felt like it. The last time the forward scored in the AHL was March 18, 2009 when he played for the Norfolk Admirals.

Bridgeport would get the equalizer at 18:57 with Tommy Wingles in the box for a double minor for high sticking Brett Motherwell and drawing blood. Motherwell was no worse for wear as it was his blast from the point that earned him an assist on the tying goal. After a feed to the point from Rhett Rakhshani Motherwell fired a shot on net that deflected off the shaft of Ryan Del Monte’s stick and then hit Sound Tiger’s winger Micheal Haley in the helmet, bounding past Hutton to light the lamp.

Both goaltenders would come up big throughout the rest of the scoreless regulation, although Koskinen would be the busier of the pair by far as Worcester tilted the ice toward the Sound Tiger’s end for most of the remainder of the game. Bridgeport would still have their chances, the best being a break away by Tony Romano as the center left the penalty box after serving a minor for roughing. Romano’s cross crease attempt was turned aside by Hutton, who stood his ground and gave the onrushing forward nothing to shoot at. Worcester would actually beat Koskinen twice more in regulation but Desjardins break in toward the end of the second period hit the far post and David Marshall’s blast with just over 20 seconds remaining in regulation rang off the crossbar.

The WorSharks didn’t stop fighting hard for the win during the overtime stanza and after a Nick Schaus dump in to the left wing corner Desjardins would pick up the loose puck and skate to the net unmolested, where he jammed the puck past Koskinen at 1:35 of the extra period. Mike Moore had the second assist on the goal.

GAME NOTES
Just as Worcester got Mike Moore and T.J. Trevelyan off the injury list the WorSharks lost two more when Nick Petrecki and Jonathan Cheechoo were bit by the injury bug. Worcester’s other scratches were Tony Lucia (concussion), Cam MacIntyre (groin), Erick Lizon (healthy), and Frazer McLaren (hip). Alex Stalock was the back-up netminder.

Prior to the start of the contest there was a moment of silence for former San Jose Sharks draft pick Tom Cavanagh, who passed away Thursday in Providence, Rhode Island. The WorSharks are planning to honor Cavanagh before the start of Sunday’s contest against the Springfield Falcons. Ironically, Cavanagh played for the Falcons earlier this season before being released from his PTO contract.

After snapping a 26 power play chance scoreless streak last Sunday the WorSharks have started another streak that now stands at eight attempts without a goal. To make matters worse, they’ve allowed a shorthanded goal during the latest drought.

Dressing for the Sound Tigers was former San Jose first round pick Ty Wishart, who was recently traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning organization to the New York Islanders for goaltender Dwayne Roloson. The trade marks the first time a former Worcester Sharks player (Wishart in 2008) was traded for a former Worcester IceCats player (Roloson in 2000-01). Former WorSharks forward Brady Leisenring also played for Bridgeport after being recently signed to a PTO.

The three stars of the game were
1. WOR – 22 Andrew Desjardins (gwg)
2. BRI – 1 Mikko Koskinen (38 saves)
3. WOR – 30 Carter Hutton (19 saves)

The Sharkspage player of the game was Cory Quirk.

BOXSCORE
Worcester 1 0 0 1 – 2
Bridgeport 1 0 0 0 – 1

1st Period-1, Worcester, Lawrence 1 (Quirk, Irwin), 14:04. 2, Bridgeport, Haley 10 (Motherwell, Rakhshani), 18:57 (PP). Penalties-Desjardins Wor (hooking), 3:30; Motherwell Bri (interference), 6:20; DaSilva Wor (tripping), 8:17; Wingels Wor (double minor – high-sticking), 15:26.

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Marshall Wor (tripping), 3:01; Romano Bri (roughing), 7:10; DiBenedetto Bri (hooking), 13:04.

3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-served by Bourbeau Bri (bench minor – too many men), 8:26; Labelle Bri (hooking), 12:53.

OT Period-3, Worcester, Desjardins 5 (Schaus, Moore), 1:35. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Worcester 7-16-15-2-40. Bridgeport 9-7-2-1-19.
Power Play Opportunities-Worcester 0/5; Bridgeport 1/5.
Goalies-Worcester, Hutton 3-1-2 (19 shots-18 saves). Bridgeport, Koskinen 5-11-0 (40 shots-38 saves).
A-5,145
Referee-Mark Lemelin (84). Linesmen-Kevin Redding (16), Paul Simeon (66).