SHARKSPAGE

WorSharks losing streak hits seven in 6-4 loss to Portland

The Worcester Sharks certainly have found the easiest way to lose games after once again allowing the opponent to score on their first shot of the game–the third time in four contests the WorSharks have done that–and then after failing to score on an extended five on three situation the only thing really in doubt was the final score as Worcester dropped a 6-4 decision to the Portland Pirates Thursday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in front of a crowd of 1,731.

Former WorSharks forward Tim Kennedy (#13) and current Worcester winger Eriah
Hayes (#18) battle for a loose puck during the WorSharks 6-4 loss to Portland
Thursday night. The loss pushed Worcester's losing streak to seven games.
Photo courtesy of Ron Morin/Portland Pirates)

For video highlights we’ll point to AHLlive.com

Scratches for Worcester were Sena Acolatse (leg), J.P. Anderson (upper body), John McCarthy (lower body), Matt Pelech (hand), Rylan Schwartz, and Jimmy Bonneau (upper body). Harri Sateri was the backup goaltender. During this writer’s hockey vacation last week Bracken Kearns and Matt Tennyson switched locations, with Kearns coning back east while Tennyson was summoned to sit in the press box for San Jose.

From the Worcester Sharks press release: “(Wor)Sharks have been outscored 35-10 in the seven game losing streak having scored just 10 goals on 238 shots…the (Wor)Sharks have not had a lead in 420 minutes.” Let’s be blunt here, those stats show how poorly this team is coached. They finally have enough offensive talent to compete and after a handful of weeks head coach Roy Sommer has basically once again killed his team. At what point will San Jose say “enough is enough” and get rid of their perpetually failing minor league head coach? Well, for this writer it needs to be on Thursday, March 27th. That will be, presuming no WorSharks games are postponed, the day after Sommer breaks the AHL record for most games coach, currently held by Frank Mathers. Sommer is already the losingest coach in American Hockey League history at 581 career losses.

The three stars of the game were
1. POR – 16 Brendan Shinnimin (2g)
2. POR – 9 Tobias Rieder (2g,a)
3. POR – 20 Rostislav Klesla (2a)

The Sharkspage player of the game was Yanni Gourde.

BOXSCORE

Worcester 1 1 2 – 4
Portland 2 3 1 – 6

1st Period-1, Portland, Hextall 9 (Martinook, Rieder), 5:13. 2, Worcester, Oleksuk 11 (Gourde, Doherty), 8:05. 3, Portland, Shinnimin 7 (Yip, Klesla), 11:26. Penalties-Werek Por (tripping), 2:52; Martinook Por (tripping), 11:36; Hagel Por (double minor – high-sticking), 14:02; Kennedy Por (cross-checking), 15:27.

2nd Period-4, Portland, Rieder 19 (Yip, Miele), 12:28 (PP). 5, Worcester, Abeltshauser 4 (Gourde), 15:18 (SH). 6, Portland, Miele 22 (Brown, Klesla), 15:29 (PP). 7, Portland, Shinnimin 8 (Lessio, Todd), 17:14. Penalties-Petrecki Wor (double minor – high-sticking), 9:28; Davison Wor (holding, fighting), 13:52; Lane Por (fighting), 13:52; Petrecki Wor (slashing), 18:40.

3rd Period-8, Worcester, Livingston 4 (Doherty, Viedensky), 1:04. 9, Worcester, Davison 2 (Reid, Livingston), 4:29. 10, Portland, Rieder 20 19:31 (EN). Penalties-Livingston Wor (interference), 15:36.

Shots on Goal-Worcester 20-10-9-39. Portland 7-9-6-22.
Power Play Opportunities-Worcester 0 / 5; Portland 2 / 5.
Goalies-Worcester, Grosenick 11-10-0 (21 shots-16 saves). Portland, Visentin 13-16-4 (39 shots-35 saves).
A-1,731
Referees-Graham Skilliter (48), Brett Montsion (80).
Linesmen-Jeremy Lovett (78), Joe Ross (92).