SHARKSPAGE

WorSharks end 2012-13 campaign with shootout loss in Syracuse

The Worcester Sharks final game was a lot like their whole 2012-2013 campaign, falling way behind early and then managing to rush forward to get back into it, only to trip up at the very end as the WorSharks dropped a 4-3 shootout contest to the Syracuse Crunch at the Onondaga County War Memorial at Oncenter in Syracuse, New York. Worcester got three out of a possible four points on the two game road trip to end their season.

Crunch capture division title with win over Sharks
Worcester at Syracuse

Scratches for Worcester were Jimmy Bonneau, Yanni Gourde, Tommy Grant, Bracken Kearns, Christophe Lalancette, John McCarthy, Matt Pelech, Brodie Reid, Denny Urban, Marek Viedensky, and Dane Walters. Harri Sateri was the back-up netminder. With Lalancette being a scratch the WorSharks used an even 50 players in games this season, one off the team record. Only one player, Freddie Hamilton, skated in all 76 games this season.

The shootout loss dropped Worcester record to 31-34-4-7 for a .480 winning percentage, the second lowest in franchise history. It’s the second season in a row Worcester has failed to reach the .500 mark, and in the era of three point games that’s something that simply should never happen. This is also the third consecutive season the team has failed to win half its games played. With one day left in the AHL’s regular season the WorSharks sit 13th in the Eastern Conference and 26th overall. If St. John’s beats Toronto this afternoon Worcester will drop one spot in both the conference and league standings. Last season the WorSharks finished in nearly the same spots, 13th in the East and 27th in the AHL.

The three stars of the game were:
1. SYR – 28 Brett Connolly (g,a)
2. SYR – 9 Tyler Johnson (g)
3. WOR – 19 Daniil Tarasov (g)

The Sharkspage player of the game was Eriah Hayes.

BOXSCORE

Worcester 0 0 3 0 – 3
Syracuse 1 2 0 0 – 4

1st Period-1, Syracuse, Connolly 31 (Sexton, Barberio), 11:39. Penalties-Paradis Syr (roughing), 3:12; served by Gogol Wor (bench minor – too many men), 9:38; Lee Syr (holding), 14:13.

2nd Period-2, Syracuse, Devos 7 (Connolly, Namestnikov), 3:50. 3, Syracuse, Johnson 37 (Brown, Cote), 5:40. Penalties-Lee Syr (closing hand on puck), 14:54; Comrie Wor (interference), 15:11; Comrie Wor (unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:39.

3rd Period-4, Worcester, Gogol 4 (Comrie, Demelo), 6:37. 5, Worcester, Hayes 3 (Comrie, Tarasov), 8:20. 6, Worcester, Tarasov 14 12:26. Penalties-Hayes Wor (high-sticking), 2:21; Schwartz Wor (double minor – high-sticking), 10:46; Richard Syr (high-sticking), 12:07; Petrecki Wor (fighting), 15:57; Cote Syr (fighting), 15:57.

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

Shootout – Worcester 0 (Tarasov NG, Hayes NG, Nieto NG), Syracuse 3 (Sexton G, Connolly G, Richard NG, Wyman G).
Shots on Goal-Worcester 7-7-8-0-0-22. Syracuse 8-11-7-3-1-30.
Power Play Opportunities-Worcester 0 / 3; Syracuse 0 / 6.
Goalies-Worcester, Stalock 17-16-4 (29 shots-26 saves). Syracuse, Desjardins 15-18-3 (22 shots-19 saves).
A-5,438
Referees-David Banfield (77).
Linesmen-Justin Prusak (70), Jeff Walker (28).