SHARKSPAGE

WorSharks can’t beat the men wearing orange, lose 2-1

The Worcester Sharks finally got back all of the players they expected to return from the San Jose Sharks but the WorSharks offensive woes continued, and when you don’t score many goals beating your opponent is next to impossible. It’s also doesn’t help when you need to beat the guy in the striped shirt too, and that was a hill too high for Worcester to climb as they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Adirondack Phantoms and referee Trevor Hanson Saturday night at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts in front of 6,959 fans.

AHL Adirondack Phantoms at Worcester Sharks
Sharks 1 | Phantoms 2
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To be blunt, referee Hanson watched a completely different game than everyone else at the DCU Center Saturday night, and his ineptness overshadowed a pretty good hockey game and fine performance from Phantoms goaltender Brian Boucher. This writer would love for someone from the American Hockey League to watch a video of the game and then go on the record about the multitude of bad calls (made, and not made) by Hanson, but because the AHL has its head in the sand and thinks the officiating in their league is not an issue there’s less than a zero percent chance they’ll take me up on my offer.

Saturday marked Matt Pelech’s official move to right wing. Pelech played about a dozen or so games up front over the last season and a half while Worcester was short of forwards, and his physical style did not look out of place then nor did it look out of place last night. If anything, his intensity was ramped up a notch or two which won’t be good news for WorSharks future opponents. His move to forward also potentially opens a spot for Denny Urban to stick around, which is also another huge positive for the team.

Scratches for the WorSharks were Mike Banwell (healthy), Taylor Doherty (achilles), Sena Acolatse (jaw), Danny Groulx (concussion), Tim Kennedy (lower body), Travis Oleksuk (healthy), Patrick Rissmiller (healthy), Jimmy Bonneau (listed as injured), and Curt Gogol (neck). Harri Sateri was the backup netminder.

Matt (#23) and Michael (#39) sit on the WorSharks bench Saturday night.
Photo courtesy of STEVE CONWAY

Yesterday marked the first time in “modern” Worcester professional hockey history that two brothers dressed in the same game for the home town team when Matt and Michael Pelech skated together yesterday. Ironically, it’s also the first time they’ve ever played on the same team together. Worcester has had brothers play here before, with Jim and Ed Campbell each playing for the IceCats, but they were not on the team at the same time. The Pelechs mark only the third time a Worcester team has had two players with the same last name on team at the same time, the first being in 1998-99 when Geoff Smith and Matt Smith both played for the IceCats. Frazer McLaren and Kyle McLaren were both WorSharks during the 2008-09 season.

The three stars of the game were
1. ADK – 16 Tye McGinn (gwg)
2. WOR – 51 Brodie Reid (g)
3. ADK – 20 Cullen Eddy (g)

The Sharkspage player of the game was Matt Pelech.

BOXSCORE

Adirondack 1 1 0 – 2
Worcester 1 0 0 – 1

1st Period-1, Adirondack, Eddy 1 (Zolnierczyk, Bordson), 2:40. 2, Worcester, Reid 9 (Tarasov, Mi. Pelech), 13:39. Penalties-Slater Adk (fighting), 8:23; Ma. Pelech Wor (fighting), 8:23; Eddy Adk (fighting), 10:11; Kearns Wor (fighting), 10:11; FitzGerald Adk (holding), 11:01; Bordson Adk (high-sticking), 19:00.

2nd Period-3, Adirondack, McGinn 11 (Ford, Syvret), 11:23 (PP). Penalties-Tennyson Wor (holding), 1:54; FitzGerald Adk (fighting), 5:12; Ma. Pelech Wor (fighting), 5:12; Kearns Wor (interference), 5:43; Grant Wor (slashing), 6:47; Matsumoto Wor (slashing), 10:04; Zolnierczyk Adk (tripping), 17:57; Tennyson Wor (roughing), 17:57.

3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Mi. Pelech Wor (holding), 1:28; Livingston Wor (holding), 3:00; Tennyson Wor (interference), 9:33.

Shots on Goal-Adirondack 7-11-4-22. Worcester 8-7-14-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Adirondack 1 / 7; Worcester 0 / 2.
Goalies-Adirondack, Boucher 1-0-0 (29 shots-28 saves). Worcester, Stalock 12-9-2 (22 shots-20 saves).
A-6,959
Referees-Trevor Hanson (47).
Linesmen-Ed Boyle (81), Bob Paquette (18).

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