SHARKSPAGE

Stalock, WorSharks beat Pirates 4-1

The Worcester Sharks entered Saturday night’s contest with the Portland Pirates on a streak that hadn’t seen them beat a team that wasn’t sitting in last place since January 25th, and were mired in a seven game home losing streak stretching back even further. Add to that the WorSharks having lost five straight to the Pirates and coming off a 7-2 drubbing by the Manchester Monarchs just 24 hours earlier and you had a recipe for what looked like another long night for Worcester. But thanks to three first period goals in the span of 4:09 and some great goaltending by Alex Stalock the WorSharks were able to defeat the Pirates 4-1 and maybe turn a corner to keep their playoff hopes alive.

AHL Portland Pirates at Worcester Sharks
More Hockey

With Jimmy Bonneau notching his first of the season the only WorSharks regular without a goal in the current campaign is Matt Pelech, who is goalless in 39 games. Pelech’s last goal was more than a calendar year ago, a game winner against the Monarchs on December 28, 2011. PTO defenseman Mike Brennan does not have a goal in 24 games played for Worcester, nor did have have one in his nine games with the Florida Everblades (ECHL) to start the season.

Scratches for Worcester were Sena Acolatse (jaw), Mike Brennan (lower body), Curt Gogol, Yanni Gourde, Tommy Grant, and Nick Petrecki. Harri Sateri was the back-up goaltender.

The WorSharks wore specialty jerseys in the game to benefit the Autism Resource Center of Central Massachusetts. Marek Viedensky was wearing #40 instead of his usual #25, and newcomer Adam Comrie was in #24 instead of #44.

The three stars of the game were
1. WOR – 43 Jimmy Bonneau (g)
2. WOR – 16 Bracken Kearns (shg)
3. WOR – 32 Alex Stalock (36 saves)

The Sharkspage player of the game was Matt Tennyson.

BOXSCORE

Portland 0 0 1 – 1
Worcester 3 1 0 – 4

1st Period-1, Worcester, Groulx 3 (Tennyson, Oleksuk), 13:15. 2, Worcester, Kearns 13 (McCarthy), 15:25 (SH). 3, Worcester, Bonneau 1 17:24. Penalties-Lane Por (interference), 0:23; Oleksuk Wor (holding the stick), 3:01; Brophey Por (goaltender interference), 7:39; Bonneau Wor (interference), 15:15; Dziurzynski Por (roughing), 17:48; Tennyson Wor (holding), 18:17.

2nd Period-4, Worcester, Tennyson 5 (Livingston, Viedensky), 16:52. Penalties-Reid Wor (holding), 0:40; Bonneau Wor (goaltender interference), 15:27; Brown Por (roughing), 16:17.

3rd Period-5, Portland, Lane 5 (Klinkhammer), 4:47. Penalties-Brown Por (roughing), 0:29; Tennyson Wor (tripping), 7:42; Rechlicz Por (slashing, game misconduct – unsportsmanlike conduct), 11:50.

Shots on Goal-Portland 10-12-15-37. Worcester 13-14-9-36.
Power Play Opportunities-Portland 0 / 6; Worcester 0 / 6.
Goalies-Portland, Lee 5-1-0 (13 shots-10 saves); Domingue 0-0-0 (23 shots-22 saves). Worcester, Stalock 14-11-3 (37 shots-36 saves).
A-5,045
Referees-Darcy Burchell (42).
Linesmen-Ed Boyle (81), Bob Paquette (18).