SHARKSPAGE

Trupp scores earliest WorSharks goal ever in 3-2 loss to IceCaps

The Worcester Sharks jumped out to their earliest lead ever in franchise history when Evan Trupp scored just 22 seconds into Saturday night’s rematch against the St John’s IceCaps, but then they gave up that lead almost as quickly. By the end of the first period Worcester had regained and lost the lead yet again, and it was the IceCaps with the last goal of the game to give the WorSharks a 3-2 loss as the two teams split their two game set at Mile One Centre in St John’s, Newfoundland.

Worcester Sharks forward Melker Karlsson celebrates his first period power play
goal that gave the WorSharks a 2-1 lead. The St John's IceCaps would have the
next two goals of the game to send Worcester home 3-2 losers Saturday night
Photo courtesy of the ST JOHN'S ICECAPS

For video highlights once again we’ll use the IceCaps YouTube channel and for the last time until next February we get to enjoy one of the best voices in minor league hockey as St John’s broadcaster Brian Rogers has the call.

Worcester Sharks head coach Roy Sommer went with the same lineup as Friday night, with Andrew Blazek, Jimmy Bonneau, Taylor Doherty (hand), Petter Emanuelsson (shoulder), Nick Jones, and Rylan Schwartz all scratches and J.P. Anderson being the back-up goaltender.

Trupp’s early goal set a team record that had stood for a couple season, breaking Curt Gogol’s record of 28 seconds set on March 9, 2012 against the Portland Pirates. The WorSharks won that game 6-4 after giving up a couple of leads. History had a chance to repeat itself as the WorSharks had more than a handful of great chances Saturday night, but former UMass-Lowell and current IceCaps goaltender Connor Hellebuyck looked like a sheet of plywood out there. Hellebuyck had a pretty good weekend for St John’s, stopping 82 of 85 shots for a .965 save percentage and a goals against of 1.52. WorSharks goalie Aaron Dell had almost as impressive a two game set by going .929 and 1.51, with a shutout Friday.

It was an interesting game for Trupp. After he scoring the record setting goal as later on in the first period he was accidentally highsticked by the IceCaps defender Julian Melchiori. Trupp missed the remainder of the first period and when the second stanza began Trupp was wearing a full face shield. Worcester was unable to capitalize on the double minor to Melchiori. Also going down in the opening period was Ryan Carpenter after the rookie forward crashed awkwardly into the end boards. Carpenter eventually got up and to the bench under his own power and after being tended to did finish the game.

Rookie defenseman Gus Young, a graduate of Yale University, got into his first pro fight Saturday night when he took on the IceCaps JC Lipon. Young must have gotten some advice from the likes of Jimmy Bonneau or Micheal Haley because he looked real good, something that doesn’t usually happen with college players. For those interested in the fisticuffs you can check out this video from hockeyfights-video.com.

The three stars of the game were
1. STJ – 27 Will O’Neill (2g)
2. STJ – 37 Connor Hellebuyck (41 saves)
3. WOR – 13 Evan Trupp (g)

The Sharkspage player of the game is Melker Karlsson.

Same players as Friday, so same even strength lines as Friday:
Tarasov/Tierney/Karlsson
Haley/Hamilton/Hayes
Trupp/Oleksuk/Carpenter
Lerg/Burish/Langlois

Taormina/Tennyson
Abeltshauser/DeMelo
Young/Fedun

BOX SCORE

Worcester 2 0 0 – 2
St. John’s 2 1 0 – 3

1st Period-1, Worcester, Trupp 6 (Oleksuk, Fedun), 0:22. 2, St. John’s, Brassard 1 (Blanchard, Olsen), 1:35. 3, Worcester, Karlsson 5 (Tarasov, Taormina), 8:41 (PP). 4, St. John’s, O’Neill 5 (Cornell, Cormier), 11:13 (PP). Penalties-Brassard Stj (holding), 8:14; Langlois Wor (tripping), 9:57; Melchiori Stj (double minor – high-sticking), 12:56.

2nd Period-5, St. John’s, O’Neill 6 (Kosmachuk, O’Dell), 5:31 (PP). Penalties-Young Wor (tripping), 4:38; Young Wor (fighting), 7:59; Lipon Stj (fighting), 7:59; Olsen Stj (boarding), 15:27.

3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Worcester 20-13-10-43. St. John’s 11-9-2-22.
Power Play Opportunities-Worcester 1 / 4; St. John’s 2 / 2.
Goalies-Worcester, Dell 1-2-0 (22 shots-19 saves). St. John’s, Hellebuyck 10-6-0 (43 shots-41 saves).
A-5,747
Referees-Trevor Hanson (47).
Linesmen-Sheldon Keough (63), Joe Maynard (24).