SHARKSPAGE

WorSharks tickled pink in 3-2 win over Providence

The Worcester Sharks had lots of hills to climb Saturday night; they don’t win many games in front of big crowds, they don’t win often when on local TV, they lately just can’t find a way to beat the Providence Bruins, and don’t get much luck wearing specialty jerseys. Two goals by Brodie Reid and 32 saves by Troy Grosenick later the WorSharks took care of all of those things in a 3-2 win over the Baby-Bs at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts during “Pink in the Rink” night in front of 7,966 fans.

Worcester Sharks forward Brodie Reid scored the game tying goal and game
winning goal Saturday night for the WorSharks on "Pink in the Rink" night
against the Providence Bruins. Worcester won 3-2.
Photo courtesy STEVE LANAVA | T&G staff

For video highlights we once again point at AHLlive.com.

Scratches for Worcester were J.P. Anderson (upper body), Adam Comrie, Chris Crane, Nick Petrecki, Matt Pelech (hand), Daniil Tarasov (concussion), and Marek Viedensky (unknown injury). It’s already been announced that Tarasov will not accompany the WorSharks to St. John’s, Newfoundland next week. Prior to the game John McCarthy cleared waivers and was assigned to Worcester by the San Jose Sharks, but had not arrived by puck drop. As occasionally happens when the WorSharks wear specialty jerseys because of how early the jerseys have to be ordered, there was a number switch as newcomer Scott Fleming was wearing #17 instead of his usual #24.

Notable in the highlight package is the “no goal” call on Freddie Hamilton’s bid in the first period. By rule, referee Jamie Koharski got the call correct as the net was off the pegs when Hamilton scores. But that’s a rule that needs some changing. The net being an inch off the pegs played no role in the puck being fired directly into the center of the net as the puck obviously passed between the spots the net was supposed to sit on. When you consider it was Providence goaltender Niklas Svedberg who knocked it off the pegs himself that really should be the kind of goal that counts. Also take note when Hamilton skates over toward the net after the second period goal. The video cuts off, but he winds the net and bangs the near post with his stick showing the net is indeed on its pegs.

Some notable statistics: Yanni Gourde has as many points in 12 games this season (3-14-17) as he had in his first 58 AHL games (9-8-17). Hamilton has the exact same point totals (13-13-26) in 34 games this season that he had in 76 contests last season. Saturday night was the first time since January 8, 2013 that Reid had two goals in a game. The win for the WorSharks on February 1st as the first ever on that date for the team (1-2-0-1).

The three stars of the game were
1. WOR – 15 Brodie Reid (2g,a)
2. WOR – 12 Freddie Hamilton (g,2a)
3. PRO – 32 Nick Johnson (2a)

The Sharkspage player of the game is Troy Grosenick.

Even strength lines
Gourde/Oleksuk/DaSilva
Scheidl/Hamilton/Reid
Livingston/Schwartz/Gron
Gogol/Fleming/Bonneau
(in the third period Fleming took Schwartz’s spot at 3rd line center)

Abeltshauser/Acolatse
Tennyson/Doherty
Davison/DeMelo

BOXSCORE

Providence 0 1 1 – 2
Worcester 0 1 2 – 3

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Robins Pro (fighting), 1:38; Bonneau Wor (fighting), 1:38; Khokhlachev Pro (tripping), 5:17; Scheidl Wor (hooking), 14:15.

2nd Period-1, Worcester, Hamilton 13 (Reid, Fleming), 5:19 (PP). 2, Providence, Griffith 11 (Johnson, Warsofsky), 14:43. Penalties-Randell Pro (interference), 3:43; Schwartz Wor (hooking), 5:40; Gogol Wor (hooking), 12:39.

3rd Period-3, Providence, Trotman 5 (Johnson, Florek), 6:30 (PP). 4, Worcester, Reid 6 (Hamilton, Gourde), 7:51. 5, Worcester, Reid 7 (Hamilton, Scheidl), 15:24. Penalties-Livingston Wor (hooking), 5:32; Khokhlachev Pro (hooking), 8:37; Gourde Wor (tripping), 15:49.

Shots on Goal-Providence 9-14-11-34. Worcester 14-6-15-35.
Power Play Opportunities-Providence 1 / 5; Worcester 1 / 3.
Goalies-Providence, Svedberg 16-11-3 (35 shots-32 saves). Worcester, Grosenick 10-5-0 (34 shots-32 saves).
A-7,966
Referees-Jamie Koharski (84).
Linesmen-Chris Millea (33), Jack Millea (23).