SHARKSPAGE

WorSharks look powerless in 6-3 loss to IceCaps

The Worcester Sharks have lots of fans still suffering from power outages after Saturday’s snowstorm, and unfortunately the ones that braved the unseasonable cold conditions saw a team playing without much power as the WorSharks dropped a 6-3 contest to the St. John’s IceCaps Tuesday night at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.

The young WorSharks squad hopefully learned a lesson about playing hard from the opening whistle, because by not doing so at one point in the opening period they had as many shots on net as St John’s had goals: three. The first two of the IceCaps goals came after James Livingston was called for a high sticking double minor just 46 seconds into the contest. Jason King connected at 2:38, followed by Aaron Gagnon scoring at 4:21 for the 2-0 lead. WorSharks netminder Harri Sateri got little help from his penalty killers on either goal.

The IceCaps would make it 3-0 after Worcester was unable to convert on their first power play try when Kevin Clark, who was serving a too many men bench minor, jumped out of the box and into a rush through the WorSharks zone. His blast from the right circle beat Sateri to the far post at 11:11.

With about three and a half minutes left in the opening period the WorSharks did everything but score when all ten players were piled in front of the net all battling for a loose puck. Mike Moore broke free of the group with the puck and skated clear of the pile, flipping a backhander toward the open net. Somehow through the pile of players St. John’s netminder Edward Pasquale was able to stop the puck to keep Worcester off the board.

Worcester would finally grab a goal at 17:39 when Cam MacIntyre banged home a loose puck at the front of the IceCaps net. Sean Acolatse started the play by breaking down the left wing side, fighting through a handful of checks and regaining control of the puck several times until he found himself at the goal line to the right of Pasquale single handedly battling the IceCaps defense. Acolatse tried to shoot the puck on net but his wayward attempt went into the slot right to MacIntyre.

Acolatse would get Worcester within a goal at 1:15 of the second period with a booming slapshot off a feed by Mike Connolly. The rookie forward created a turnover at the right wing half-boards and found Acolatse standing all alone at the top of the left wing circle. Acolatse stopped the feed and teed the puck up, unleashing a bomb that Pasquale had absolutely no chance at stopping. But that’s as close as Worcester could get.

Under two minutes later Clark would again beat Sateri, this time with a bouncing shot that the netminder was unable to glove before it had leaked over the goal line. Patrice Cormier would make it 5-2 when he out-muscled Nathan Moon for the puck and beat Sateri from the slot at 17:26.

Matt Irwin notched a power play marker, from Moon and Sean Sullivan, with a huge blast from the left wing half-boards that beat Pasquale to the far side to keep Worcester’s faint hopes alive, but the WorSharks flat lined when Riley Holzapfel found the open net at 18:15 for the 6-3 final.

The two squads will face off again Saturday. Worcester is off until then, while St. John’s will face the Connecticut Whale on Friday.

GAME NOTES
Worcester’s scratches were Tony Lucia and Matt Pelech. Marek Viedensky is the only player on the injured list, but all accounts seem to indicate he’ll be ready to play very soon. Tyson Sexsmith was the back-up netminder. Taylor Doherty may be an addition to that injury list as he was not on the bench for the third period. Curt Gogol also missed a few shifts after blocking a shot with his left hand, but looked to be no worse for wear when he returned.

The loss drops the WorSharks to 2-3-0-1 all time at home on Tuesdays. Their road record on Tuesdays is much better, 5-2-0-0. Worcester plays six more times on Tuesday this season, with two being at home and four on the road.

With a Canadian team visiting Worcester DCU Center usher Dick Saseville was once again called to service to sing both national anthems. Saseville, who has on occasions sung the French version, sang the dual language version as St. John’s is in the English speaking portion of Canada.

Bryan Marchment joined head coach Roy Sommer and assistant coach Dave Cunniff behind the WorSharks bench.

The three stars of the game were
1. STJ – Clark (2g)
2. WOR – Acolatse (g,a)
3. STJ – Flood (2a)

The Sharkspage player of the game was Nick Petrecki

BOXSCORE

St. John’s 3 2 1 – 6
Worcester 1 1 1 – 3

1st Period-1, St. John’s, King 5 (Rosa, Flood), 2:38 (PP). 2, St. John’s, Gagnon 2 (Weller, Flood), 4:21 (PP). 3, St. John’s, Clark 2 (Albert), 11:11. 4, Worcester, MacIntyre 2 (Acolatse), 17:39. Penalties-Livingston Wor (double minor – high-sticking), 0:46; served by Clark Stj (bench minor – too many men), 9:02; Gagnon Stj (tripping), 12:13.

2nd Period-5, Worcester, Acolatse 1 (Connolly), 1:15. 6, St. John’s, Clark 3 (Albert, Murray), 3:02. 7, St. John’s, Cormier 1 17:26. Penalties-served by Moon Wor (bench minor – too many men), 9:27.

3rd Period-8, Worcester, Irwin 4 (Sullivan, Moon), 3:43 (PP). 9, St. John’s, Holzapfel 5 (Machacek), 18:15 (EN). Penalties-Cormier Stj (holding the stick), 3:35; Postma Stj (roughing), 6:55; MacIntyre Wor (roughing), 6:55; McCarthy Wor (slashing), 6:55; Guite Wor (cross-checking), 13:08.

Shots on Goal-St. John’s 10-13-11-34. Worcester 10-12-11-33.
Power Play Opportunities-St. John’s 2 / 5; Worcester 1 / 3.
Goalies-St. John’s, Pasquale 2-0-0 (33 shots-30 saves). Worcester, Sateri 2-1-0 (33 shots-28 saves).
A-2,164
Referees-Mark Lemelin (41).
Linesmen-Bob Bernard (42), Jack Millea (23).