SHARKSPAGE

Bad Call Sends WorSharks Off To Defeat

The Worcester Sharks overcame a two goal deficit and appeared to win the game in overtime, but a controversial call overturned the apparent tally and led to a shootout, where the Springfield Falcons defeated the WorSharks 3-2 in a Sunday afternoon contest at the DCU center in Worcester, Massachusetts in front of a crowd of 5,514 fans.

The WorSharks outshot the Falcons 17-12 in the opening period, and despite several close calls and three shots hitting the iron behind Springfield goaltender Gustaf Wesslau the Falcons would have the only goal of the opening period when Tomas Kubalik skated down the right wing side and beat Worcester netminder Alex Stalock with a wrist shot to the stick side at 3:07. Springfield would make it 2-0 at 9:37 of the second period with a power play tally when David Savard’s blast from the blue line was deflected by Trevor Smith and past Stalock.

But Worcester continued to play hard and T.J. Trevelyan got the WorSharks back within one with a goal scorer’s move after collecting his own rebound. Trevelyan broke down the left wing side into the Springfield zone leading a three on two with defenseman Mike Moore skating hard to the net and Ryan Del Monte heading down the right wing. Trevelyan’s original shot was saved by Wesslau, but the winger was able to gather the rebound and wheel the net to jam the puck home at 10:35 as Moore was checked into Wesslau preventing the netminder from making a save attempt.

A great back check by Marcou set up the game tying goal for Worcester at 4:14 of the third period. After Springfield had numbers on a rush into the WorSharks zone Marcou lifted the stick of a shooter and leveraged the larger player off the puck allowing Worcester to break out on the opposite direction. As play continued in the Falcons zone Justin Braun moved the puck into the corner where Ryan Del Monte picked it up and found Matt Irwin all alone in the slot. Irwin partially misfired on the one timer, but Marcou’s screen prevented Wesslau from seeing the shot until it was too late.

Late in the third period Worcester would be called for three consecutive minors, but the WorSharks penalty killers rose to the challenge to keep the Falcons off the board as the game headed to overtime. The four on four extra period was full of scoring chances for both clubs, but none was better than Dan DaSilva’s shot into an open net after a wild goal mouth scramble where Tom Sestito fell into the net. With Wesslau down and out and DaSilva with the puck the forward fired a backhander on net and hit the Falcons forward in the chest. Sestito’s body was completely over the goal line and was actually touching the rear of the net, and despite being in what would seem to be the perfect position referee Chris Brown emphatically indicated the puck did not cross the goal line.

The AHL does not use video replay for disputed goals, but the one shown to fans on Sharksvision showed pretty clearly the puck was over the goal line.

As the game headed to a shootout DaSilva connected to give Worcester a 1-0 lead, but the Falcons connected on their last two chances to take away the victory. The two teams play again Friday night in Springfield.

GAME NOTES
Worcester’s scratches were Jonathan Cheechoo (upper body), Joe Loprieno (healthy), Tony Lucia (concussion), Frazer McLaren (hip), Cam MacIntyre (groin), and Nick Petrecki (back). carter Hutton returned to his usual spot as back-up netminder.

Prior to the start of the game the WorSharks showed a video tribute and held a moment of silence for Tom Cavanagh, who passed away Thursday in providence, Rhode Island. The WorSharks official site had the following to say about Cavanagh: Tom Cavanagh played for Coach Sommer in Cleveland, and then came to Worcester when the franchise relocated for the 2006-07 season. He played for the Sharks through the end of the 2008-09 season and finished his Worcester career with point totals of 46-92-138. He remains the team’s all-time leader in points and assists. A graduate of Toll Gate High in Warwick, R.I., and then Harvard University, Cavanagh eventually went on and played for the San Jose Sharks. Our thoughts and prayers to the entire Cavanagh family.

The WorSharks went 0-6 on the power play, and now have gone 14 straight chances without a goal. One has to wonder how long it will take until head coach Roy Sommer puts the Crazed Rats out for a power play chance. It’s not like they could do any worse.

There were two fights in the contest, with Erick Lizon (6’4″ 225#) destroying Theo Ruth (6’1″ 211#) in the first period, and then pounding Nick Tarnasky (6’2″ 230#) in the second. Lizon’s reward for winning both bouts was to be released from his PTO. It’s a pretty safe bet Lizon will be back in the AHL with another club at some point this season.

The three stars of the game were
1. SPR – 27 Cody Goloubef (SO gwg)
2. WOR – 24 T.J. Trevelyan (g)
3. SPR – 36 Trevor Smith (g)

The Sharkspage player of the game was James Marcou.

Even Strength Lines
Trevelyan/Del Monte/Marcou
Wingles/Marshall/Zalewski
Henderson/Desjardins/DaSilva
Lawrence/Quirk/Lizon

Moore/Schaus
Irwin/Braun
Sullivan/Leach

Power Play lines
Marcou/Wingles/Trevelyan
Lawrence/Zalewski/DaSilva

Irwin/Braun
Moore/Sullivan

Penalty Kill Lines
Desjardins/Henderson
Quirk/Wingles

Braun/Leach(Moore)
Moore(Sullivan)/Schaus

BOXSCORE
Springfield 1 1 0 0 – 3
Worcester 0 1 1 0 – 2

1st Period-1, Springfield, Kubalik 11 (Byers, Ruth), 3:07. Penalties-Frischmon Spr (cross-checking), 4:15; Sestito Spr (interference, unsportsmanlike conduct), 7:21; Ruth Spr (fighting), 14:36; Sestito Spr (misconduct – unsportsmanlike conduct), 14:36; Lizon Wor (unsportsmanlike conduct, fighting), 14:36.

2nd Period-2, Springfield, Smith 14 (Savard, Blunden), 9:37 (PP). 3, Worcester, Trevelyan 7 (Moore, Marcou), 10:35. Penalties-Holden Spr (slashing), 6:14; Tarnasky Spr (fighting), 7:59; Lizon Wor (fighting), 7:59; Desjardins Wor (tripping), 9:23; Guite Spr (unsportsmanlike conduct), 17:49.

3rd Period-4, Worcester, Irwin 7 (Del Monte, Braun), 4:14. Penalties-Byers Spr (hooking), 5:26; Lawrence Wor (tripping), 10:48; Braun Wor (delay of game), 12:50; DaSilva Wor (tripping), 17:58.

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

Shootout – Springfield 2 (Smith NG, Tarnasky NG, Mayorov NG, Filatov G, Goloubef G), Worcester 1 (Trevelyan NG, Marshall NG, DaSilva G, Marcou NG, Quirk NG).
Shots on Goal-Springfield 12-4-10-5-1-32. Worcester 17-13-6-5-0-41.
Power Play Opportunities-Springfield 1/5; Worcester 0/6.
Goalies-Springfield, Wesslau 6-5-1 (41 shots-39 saves). Worcester, Stalock 15-14-3 (31 shots-29 saves).
A-5,514
Referee-Chris Brown (86). Linesmen-Bob Bernard (42), Chris Aughe (74).