SHARKSPAGE

WorSharks scoreless but not pointless in 1-0 OT loss to Norfolk

The Worcester Sharks did about as well as you could possibly do without scoring a goal when Saturday night’s contest against the Norfolk Admirals once again turned into the Harri Sateri and John Gibson Show, only unlike Friday night it was Admirals coming out on top while the WorSharks earned the bonus point after Konrad Abeltshauser was called for a penalty in overtime and Admirals defenseman Jesse Blacker connected on the power play for the only goal in a 1-0 game in front of a sellout crowd of 8,701 at The Scope in Norfolk, Virginia on “Pink in the Rink” night.

The Worcester Sharks on the penalty kill just seconds before the puck slid out into the slot where Admirals
defenseman Jesse Blacker was able to net the game winner in a 1-0 Norfolk win Saturday night
Photo courtesy of FOX43TV.COM

For video highlights we do as we did yesterday and point to Sendittonews.com.

Both team went with the same line-up, so like Friday the scratches for Worcester were Rob Davison (flu-like symptoms), Troy Grosenick (knee), Matt Pelech (hand), and Brodie Reid (unknown). Thomas Heemskerk was the back-up goaltender.

The 1-0 overtime loss Saturday was just the second time the WorSharks had a single goal game decided in the extra session. The first was a 1-0 win over Springfield on October 24, 2009 when Logan Couture scored the game winner at 3:49 of OT against Falcons goaltender Devan Dubnyk. Only once has a WorSharks game made it to the shootout when scoreless where Alex Stalock and Worcester prevailed over Manchester and Martin Jones on November 4, 2012. Counting playoffs the WorSharks are 4-2-1 in 1-0 games.

If regulation had been 60 minutes and one second long Rylan Schwartz would have ended the game just before the horn sounded when he beat John Gibson on a breakaway, but Schwartz’s shot clearly crossed the line after the horn went off so on to overtime the clubs went. Schwartz ended the game shotless, ending his streak at 22 games. The roster player with the longest shots on goal streak is now Dan DaSilva at 12 games.

After the game this writer read a little, then watched some TV, and went to bed. It’s only mentioned because both clubs had different plans than I, with the WorSharks heading on an 11 hour bus ride north to come back home and the Admirals heading south for six hours to take on the Charlotte Checkers early this afternoon. Such is life in minor league hockey.

The three stars of the game were
1. NOR – 4 Jesse Blacker (OT gwg)
2. NOR – 23 Devante Smith-Pelly (a)
3. NOR – 20 Alex Grant (a)

No Sateri or Gibson again. It’s almost like the people picking the stars in Norfolk don’t watch the game. Again, the easy choice for Sharkspage player of the game is Harri.

Even strength lines
Gron/Hamilton/Tarasov
Gourde/Oleksuk/DaSilva
Scheidl/Viedensky/Livingston
Gogol/Schwartz/Bonneau

Petrecki/Demelo
Comrie/Doherty
Abeltshauser/Acolatse

BOXSCORE

Worcester 0 0 0 0 – 0
Norfolk 0 0 0 1 – 1

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-DeMelo Wor (tripping), 15:38; Comrie Wor (double minor – spearing (attempt)), 16:42.

3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Petrecki Wor (tripping), 9:05; Sauve Nor (hooking), 11:37; Friberg Nor (high-sticking), 13:28.

OT Period-1, Norfolk, Blacker 6 (Smith-Pelly, Grant), 2:21 (PP). Penalties-Abeltshauser Wor (tripping), 1:27.

Shots on Goal-Worcester 7-6-6-1-20. Norfolk 7-8-9-3-27.
Power Play Opportunities-Worcester 0 / 2; Norfolk 1 / 5.
Goalies-Worcester, Sateri 10-13-1 (27 shots-26 saves). Norfolk, Gibson 12-9-4 (20 shots-20 saves).
A-8,701
Referees-Dave Lewis (46).
Linesmen-Mark Hamlett (81), Bill Lyons (27).