Worcester Sharks Weekly Release
Week of May 11, 2009
Worcester Sharks and Providence Bruins Fit to be Tied
Sharks host Game 6 of Atlantic Division Finals at 7pm on Wednesday!
Top 3!
1. Thomas Greiss made 26 saves in net for his 2nd shutout of the playoffs to guide the Sharks to a 1-0 win in Game 4 on Saturday night at DCU Center.
2. T.J. Fox scored in his third straight game giving the Sharks a 2-0 lead late in the first period in the Sharks Game 3 win at Providence.
3. Tom Cavanagh scored the only goal in the Sharks series tying victory 1-0 win over the Bruins in Game 4.
Atlantic Division Semi-finals Playoffs: Sharks defeat Wolf Pack 4-2 in best of seven series
Thu. 4/16 L Worcester SHARKS 0 @ Hartford Wolf Pack 2
Sat. 4/18 L Worcester SHARKS 3 @ Hartford Wolf Pack 5
Mon. 4/20 W Hartford Wolf Pack 2 @ Worcester SHARKS 3 - Double OT.
Wed. 4/22 W Hartford Wolf Pack 0 @ Worcester SHARKS 6
Thu. 4/23 W Worcester SHARKS 3 @ Hartford Wolf Pack 1
Sat. 4/25 W Hartford Wolf Pack 3@ Worcester SHARKS 5
Atlantic Division Finals Playoff Schedule: series tied 2-2
Tue. 4/28 L Worcester SHARKS 2 @ Providence Bruins 3 - OT
Wed. 5/6 L Providence Bruins 4 @ Worcester SHARKS 2
Fri. 5/8 W Worcester SHARKS 5 @ Providence Bruins 3
Sat. 5/9 W Providence Bruins 0 @ Worcester SHARKS 1
Mon. 5/11 Worcester SHARKS @ Providence Bruins – Dunkin Donuts Center
Wed. 5/13 Providence Bruins @ Worcester SHARKS – DCU Center
*Thu. 5/14 Worcester SHARKS @ Providence Bruins – Dunkin Donuts Center
* if necessary
Rewind the Tape:
Game 1: Sharks 2 Bruins 3
Bruins captain Jeremy Reich scored 6:19 into the overtime period with a wicked shot down the right wing as the Sharks dropped Game 1 by the score of 3-2 on Tuesday night in Providence. The Bruins charged out to a 2-0 lead early into the 2nd period after goals by Martin St. Pierre and Brad Marchand. But the Sharks came battling back, Jamie McGinn scored at 12:55 of the 2nd period on the power play after a nice feed from behind the net by Dan DaSilva. McGinn would tie the game after a goal mouth scramble at 14:39 of the 3rd period to force overtime. The Sharks outshot the Bruins 37-27 including 14-5 in the third period. Thomas Greiss made 24 saves in net for the Sharks while Tuukka Rask made 35 saves for the Bruins.
Game 2: Sharks 2 Bruins 4
After eight days between games 1 and 2, Martin St. Pierre scored a goal and an assist to lead the Bruins past the Sharks in Game 2 by the score of 4-2 at the DCU Center. Riley Armstrong and Dan DaSilva each scored for Worcester but the Sharks could not recover from a 2nd period letdown having been outshot 14-6. The two teams combined for 94 penalty minutes, 78 minutes in a 27 second span late in the third period. Thomas Greiss kept the score close making 29 saves in net for the Sharks while Tuukka Rask made 22 saves for the Bruins.
Game 3: Sharks 5 Bruins 3
The Sharks got goals from five different players and took Game 3 at the Dunkin Donuts Center 5-3. The Sharks sped out to a 2-0 lead after twenty minutes as Patrick Traverse and T.J. Fox lit the lamp. Andrew Desjardins scored a key goal in the 2nd period and Jamie McGinn had the game winner midway through the third for the Sharks. Tuukka Rask made 26 saves in net, allowing more than two goals in a playoff game for the first time this season while Thomas Greiss was solid turning aside 25 shots for the victory. Ryan Vesce added two assists and Riley Armstrong scored the 5th Sharks goal. A brawl with 60 seconds remaining dished out 64 penalty minutes between the two clubs as the Sharks got their first win of the series.
Game 4: Sharks 1 Bruins 0
Thomas Greiss made 26 saves in net for his 2nd shutout of the playoffs as the Sharks evened the series 2-2 with a 1-0 win over the Bruins at the DCU Center on Saturday night. Tom Cavanagh scored the only goal of the game, firing a wicked wrist shot from the right circle past Tuukka Rask at 4:41 of the 1st period. For the third straight game, a brawl broke out involving every skater on the ice as Jamie McGinn and Vladimir Sobotka were given major penalties for fighting at 12:11 of the 2nd period. Greiss made 13 saves in a frantic third period and the Sharks killed off five Bruins power plays in the victory.
Important Playoff #’s:
Worcester Providence
Goals For 3.00 – 4th 2.33 – 11th
Goals Agst 2.30 – 6th 1.89 - 3rd
Shots For 33.60– 1st 33.44 – 2nd
Shots Agst 28.00 – 6th 29.78 – 8th
PP 6-49 (12.2%) - 11th 7-36 (19.4%) – 5th
PK 8-46 (82.6%) – 8th 3-33 (90.9%) – 3rd
PIMS 22.60– 1st 21.22 – 2nd
Sharks in the Atlantic… (regular season)
The Sharks finished (42-35-1-2) swimming in a 4th place in the Atlantic Division with 87 points, 12 points behind the first place Hartford Wolf Pack. Worcester finished one point behind the Pirates for the 3rd spot and 7 points behind the Bruins for the 2nd spot. The 5th place Monarchs finished five points behind the Sharks and the Devils were eight points out in a very choppy Atlantic Division.
Playoff Bites:
*The 2nd round series against the Bruins is just the 3rd ever playoff series for the Sharks. In 2007, the Sharks lost round 1 to the Manchester Monarchs four games to two.
*The Bruins enter their 29th playoff series, having won their 15th series four games to one past Portland. The Bruins won the Calder Cup in 1999. Providence has lost in the Atlantic Division Finals in each of the last two years.
* The Sharks became just the 20th team in AHL history to win a series after losing the first two games and look to become the first team in AHL history to accomplish that feat twice in the same playoff season.
*Brendan Buckley scored his first playoff goal in Game 2 at Harford in his 56th AHL playoff game.
*Rookie Andrew Desjardins scored his first AHL playoff goal in Game 2 at Hartford and currently is 4th in the AHL with a +7.
*The Sharks had a franchise record 13 power plays in Game 2 at Hartford (1 for 13).
*Kyle McLaren dressed in his first AHL playoff game in Game 1 at Hartford after playing in 70 NHL playoff games.
*Rookie Frazer McLaren recorded one assist in 75 regular season games but already has four in ten playoff games. Frazer is 12th in the AHL rookie scoring race with five points (1-4-5).
* Ryan Vesce scored his first two AHL playoff goals in Game 3 vs. Hartford including his 5th OTG this season.
* Thomas Greiss made 34 saves in Game 3 vs. Hartford for his first AHL playoff victory in six starts and followed up with 30 saves in game 4 for his first playoff shutout in a 6-0 victory. Greiss recorded his 2nd shutout of the playoff season with 26 saves vs. the bruins in Game 4. Greiss is 5th in the AHL with a 2.02GAA and 6th in save % at .924. Greiss has made 26 straight starts dating back to the end of the regular season.
* Riley Armstrong is riding a three game point streak (2-1-3). Riley is 3rd in the AHL in assists (9) and is 6th in points (2-9-11).
* Patrick Traverse is 1st in the AHL among defensemen with seven points in the playoffs (3-4-7).
* Derek Joslin ranks 3rd in the AHL among defensemen with 27 shots while Mike Moore is 4th with 24 shots on goal.
* The Sharks scored five goals in Game 3 at Providence, marking the only time in the playoffs that Tuukka Rask has allowed more than two goals in a game.
* T.J. Fox scored in Game 3 at Providence, making the 3rd straight game he had scored a goal.
* The Sharks have spread out their offense in the playoffs, as seven players have three goals to lead the team.
* The Sharks are 5-0 when scoring the first goal of the game in the playoffs.
* Brett Westgarth is 2nd in the AHL with 40 penalty minutes, as Brett has received misconducts in three straight games vs. the Bruins.
* Mike Moore, Patrick Traverse, and Andrew Desjardins are all ranked 4th in the AHL with a +7.
*The Sharks set a franchise record with 78 fighting major penalties this season through 80 games and have five in the AHL playoffs. Frazer McLaren (2x),Andrew Desjardins, Jamie McGinn and Mike Moore have each dropped the gloves in the playoffs.
Coming and goings from the shark tank:
Top Sharks:
o Goals Traverse, Cavanagh, Fox, Vesce, DaSilva, Desjardins, and McGinn (3)
o Game Winners DaSilva, Vesce, F. McLaren, Fox, Cavanagh, McGinn (1)
o Assists Armstrong (9)
o Points Armstrong (2-9-11)
o Power play Points Traverse (3-1-4)
o Shots Vesce (33)
o PIM Westgarth (40)
o Fighting Pen. F. McLaren (2)
o Plus/Minus Traverse, Moore, and Desjardins (+7)
o Wins Greiss (6)
o G.A.A. Greiss (2.02)
o Save % Greiss (.924)
o Shutouts Greiss (2)
Coming Up:
The Bruins host Game 5 at the Dunkin Donuts Center on Monday, May 11th at 7:05p.m.
The Sharks host Game 6 at the DCU Center on Wednesday, May 13th at 7:05p.m.
The Bruins host Game 7 (if necessary) at the Dunkin Donuts Center on Thu., May 14th at 7:05p.m.
Any Sharks fan that mentions that they are growing a playoff beard will receive a discounted $16.00 best available ticket for any game at the DCU Center in the 2nd round of the playoffs!
In addition, fans may purchase a variety of Playoff ticket packages:
· Family Fun Pack – 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 sodas for just $65 ($16.25 per extra person).
· Playoff Fun Pack – 4 flex vouchers and either 1 signed Sharks stick or 4 Sharks camouflage hats for $66 (16.50 per extra person).
The Sharks reduced their 2009-10 season ticket prices and playoff tickets are on sale now! Purchases can be made by visiting the box office, contacting the Worcester Sharks office at 508.929.0500, or by crashing the net at www.SharksAHL.com.
All games can be heard live on 580AM and 94.9FM WTAG, as well as online through AHL Live, by following the link on the Sharks website at www.SharksAHL.com.
