SHARKSPAGE

WorSharks break the curse of Hartford, beat Wolf Pack 3-2

The Worcester Sharks, playing with a roster even shorter than they had in their lackluster effort in Providence Friday night, showed just enough signs of life to take advantage of a couple of mental errors made by the Hartford Wolf Pack by scoring two power play goals, and goaltender Harri Sateri was near flawless in one of his best outings in recent memory as the WorSharks defeated the Wolf Pack 3-2 Saturday night at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut. The win was Worcester’s first in Hartford since Al Stalock outdueled Chad Johnson in a 4-3 contest in October 10, 2010.

The WorSharks celebrate a hard earned 3-2 victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack Saturday night.
Goaltender Harri Sateri led them to their first victory at the XL Center in over three years.
Photo courtesy of Joey Nereu | Yeahmop.com

For video highlights, we point to AHLlive.com. The Wolf Pack have a YouTube channel with video highlights, except for some reason they seem to forget there are two teams on the ice when putting that package together.

Scratches for Worcester were Matt Pelech (hand), Lane Scheidl (knee), and Daniil Tarasov (foot). Troy Grosenick was the back-up goaltender. The WorSharks had no healthy scratches and again went with eight defensemen in the line-up. In the second period Hartford defenseman Bretton Stamler kneed Dan DaSilva in the open ice in the neutral zone, and while DaSilva did return to action he was obviously hampered. Just prior to post time Sharkspage learned the WorSharks signed Yanni Gourde to a PTO.

With Sebastian Stalberg scoring his first goal of the season just three everyday skaters for Worcester are still goalless: Dylan DeMelo, Riley Brace, and captain Rob Davison. Only two players that would be considered “regulars” have gone an entire season scoreless for the WorSharks; Joe Loprieno (46 games in 2009-10) and Taylor Doherty (63 games in 2011-12).

It was a tough night for referees Chris Brown and Jean-Philippe Sylvain. In addition to giving Stamler only two minutes for kneeing DaSilva and then somehow giving Nick Petrecki an additional roughing minor in the altercation that followed (watch the video, where’s that roughing minor?) they also stopped a Travis Oleksuk shorthanded breakaway with a mystery whistle and then set the next faceoff in the Hartford end. In the last 17 minutes or so of the game neither one thought any of the various high sticks, slashes, or trips were penalties.

The three stars of the game were
1. WOR – 22 Dan DaSilva (g)
2. WOR – 35 Harri Sateri (30 save win)
3. HFD – 17 Darroll Powe (g,a)

The Sharkspage player of the game, because we don’t select players that were the #1 or #2 stars, is Curt Gogol.

Even strength lines
DaSilva/Oleksuk/Viedensky (Oleksuk/Viedensky/DaSilva was also used)
Stalberg/Schwartz/Reid
Gogol/Brace/Livingston
Bonneau/lots of guys/Comrie

Davison/Tennyson
Petrecki/Doherty
Acolatse/DeMelo
Abeltshauser rotated with everyone

BOXSCORE

Worcester 2 1 0 – 3
Hartford 1 0 1 – 2

1st Period-1, Worcester, DaSilva 3 (Comrie, DeMelo), 2:44 (PP). 2, Worcester, Stalberg 1 (Tennyson, Abeltshauser), 17:19 (PP). 3, Hartford, Bourque 5 (Powe, Klassen), 19:44 (SH). Penalties-Marcou Hfd (interference), 2:10; Noreau Hfd (high-sticking), 5:35; Gogol Wor (goaltender interference), 11:41; Haley Hfd (unsportsmanlike conduct), 17:12; Haley Hfd (charging), 17:51.

2nd Period-4, Worcester, Gogol 3 (Reid), 10:31. Penalties-Petrecki Wor (roughing, fighting), 5:37; Stamler Hfd (kneeing, fighting), 5:37; Livingston Wor (delay of game), 6:56; Lindberg Hfd (delay of game), 11:43; Hughes Hfd (hooking), 16:30.

3rd Period-5, Hartford, Powe 4 (Dupont), 2:15. Penalties-Doherty Wor (interference), 2:34.

Shots on Goal-Worcester 11-16-13-40. Hartford 16-6-10-32.
Power Play Opportunities-Worcester 2 / 6; Hartford 0 / 3.
Goalies-Worcester, Sateri 8-11-1 (32 shots-30 saves). Hartford, Missiaen 2-9-1 (40 shots-37 saves).
A-4,712
Referees-Chris Brown (86), Jean-Philippe Sylvain (16).
Linesmen-Jim Briggs (83), Luke Galvin (2).