WorSharks overcome slow start to defeat Springfield 6-3
The Worcester Sharks found themselves in a situation they’ve faced far too often during this season Friday night at the MassMutual Center against the Springfield Falcons: trailing in the first period. But unlike previous weeks the WorSharks started firing on all cylinders while still in the opening stanza and managed to take the lead after twenty minutes and then never looked back in a 6-3 victory over the Falcons to jump back into 8th place in the American Hockey League’s Eastern Conference standings. Eriah Hayes had two goals for the WorSharks, with Evan Trupp, franchise goal scoring leader John McCarthy, Daniel Ciampini, and newcomer Matt Willows each adding a goal a piece.
Worcester Sharks forward Eriah Hayes had two goals in the WorSharks 6-3 victory
over the Falcons in Springfield on Friday night. The win drops Worcester's
AHL playoff clinching magic number to 18. Photo courtesy of TEAMSHRED
For video highlight’s we’ll use the Springfield Falcons YouTube channel.
Scratches for Worcester were Konrad Abeltshauser, Jimmy Bonneau, Chris Crane, Dylan Demelo, Petter Emanuelsson (shoulder/out for season), Jeremy Langlois (foot), Joel Rumpel, and Joakim Ryan. Troy Grosenick was the back-up goaltender. Over the last week the WorSharks have had a slew of transactions, with Vincent Arseneau being loaned to the Allen Americans (ECHL) and forward Matt Willows from the University of New Hampshire being signed to an amateur try-out. Both defenseman Joakim Ryan (San Jose 2012 draft pick 7/198) and goaltender Joel Rumpel (NCAA free agent from University of Wisconsin) were signed to entry level contracts by San Jose and were assigned to Worcester.
The injury list for the WorSharks is about to get a little longer as reports have Trevor Parkes breaking his lower right leg after a big open ice hit Friday night in Springfield. The check was totally clean, and Parkes’ injury took place as his legs to tangled up underneath him as he fell to the ice. Obviously no time table for his return, but assuming it’s his fibula best case scenario is in the neighborhood of six weeks. Willows took Parkes’ spot on the top line and didn’t look out of place at all.
For a game that was as important to both clubs as Friday’s was and as physical games generally are between the two teams the WorSharks and Falcons were called for just three minors combined as referee Kendrick Nicholson let the boys play. Both teams scored a power play goal, with the Falcons getting one on their only power play of the game in the third period and Trupp’s goal coming late in the second with the man advantage.
WorSharks goalie Aaron Dell and Springfield netminder Scott Monroe really put on a clinic during the contest, with each making acrobatic saves and both had to make saves without a stick at one point. Despite the nine total goals score if either had been off their game it could have looked like a basketball score.
Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Sonny Milano made his AHL debut last night for Springfield, and to say he’s fast is akin to saying water is wet. His first period assist on the Falcons first goal where he outskated WorSharks defenseman Matt Tennyson behind the Worcester goal line is no doubt the first of many points Milano will get in the pros in his career.
With his third period goal Willows adds himself to the short list of Worcester Sharks players who scored a goal in the debut with the team. Who is on that list, you ask? That’s a good question as I can’t find where it is at the moment. More on that tomorrow, I hope.
The three stars of the game were
1. SPR – 12 Ryan Craig (g,a, became Falcons all-time goal scoring leader)
2. WOR – 7 Eriah Hayes (2g,a)
3. WOR – 5 Matt Tennyson (2a)
The Sharkspage player of the game is Aaron Dell
Even strength lines
Lerg/Trupp/Parkes
McCarthy/Carpenter/Hayes
Haley/Oleksuk/Coetzee
Ciampini/Schwartz/Willows
Stollery/Doherty
Taormina/Tennyson
Young/Fedun
BOX SCORE
Worcester 3 1 2 – 6
Springfield 2 0 1 – 31st Period-1, Springfield, Adam 15 (Milano, Tyrell), 4:43. 2, Springfield, Craig 14 (Labrie, Tynan), 6:39. 3, Worcester, Hayes 7 (Tennyson, Taormina), 8:55. 4, Worcester, Ciampini 2 (Tennyson), 11:08. 5, Worcester, McCarthy 13 (Hayes), 11:33. Penalties-No Penalties
2nd Period-6, Worcester, Trupp 14 (Fedun, Taormina), 17:24 (PP). Penalties-Vogelhuber Spr (interference), 3:27; Hoeffel Spr (slashing), 17:16.
3rd Period-7, Springfield, Collins 15 (Weinstein, Craig), 8:22 (PP). 8, Worcester, Willows 1 12:19. 9, Worcester, Hayes 8 18:54 (EN). Penalties-Doherty Wor (hooking), 7:23.
Shots on Goal-Worcester 19-10-8-37. Springfield 16-11-10-37.
Power Play Opportunities-Worcester 1 / 2; Springfield 1 / 1.
Goalies-Worcester, Dell 11-5-0 (37 shots-34 saves). Springfield, Munroe 7-10-0 (36 shots-31 saves).
A-4,019
Referees-Kendrick Nicholson (44).
Linesmen-Glen Cooke (6), Brent Colby (7).