Sharks Suffer First Regulation Loss of the Season

 By: Chris Del Vecchio  

Worcester– For the first time in six games this season the Worcester Sharks failed to earn a point in the standings, as they fell to the Hartford Wolf Pack in regulation time by a 2-1 score on Saturday night at the DCU Center . 

Both teams played conservatively during a first period that saw just 16 total shots.  Six of those came from Worcester, whose best chance of the period came when a backhander from Lukas Kaspar caromed off the shoulder of Hartford netminder Chris Holt, who had to scramble to deny Riley Armstrong’s rebound try.

Eight minutes into the second period, Hartford finally opened the scoring.  Brodie Dupont fed linemate Pierre-Alexadre Parenteau behind the goal line to the left of Sharks rookie goaltender Taylor Dakers, and Parenteau looped through the faceoff circle before beating Dakers to the near glove side.

Worcester struck back 36 seconds later, when Mike Iggulden picked up his fourth goal and team-leading ninth point of the season.   Craig Valette fought off a check behind the Hartford goal and fed Iggulden, who slipped the puck between Holt’s outstretched skate and the post to tie the game at 1-1.

A hard-hitting but relatively clean game turned violent halfway through the second, when Sharks enforcer Brennan Evans and Wolf Pack winger Francis Lessard dropped their gloves behind the Worcester net.  The Sharks earned two power plays before the pair were released from the penalty box, but the Sharks power play generated just two shots on net.  As the second man advantage expired, Hartford’s Greg Moore picked up a loose puck in neutral ice and finished off a sprint into the Worcester zone by beating Dakers with a slapshot, giving the Wolf Pack a 2-1 lead heading into the second intermission.

Just 45 seconds into the third period, Tom Cavanagh finished off a scrum in front of the Hartford net by poking the puck across the goal line, but referee Francois St. Laurent disallowed the would-be tying goal and sent Nate Raduns to the penalty box for goaltender interference.  Midway through the period, Hugh Jessiman checked Armstrong into the boards, prompting Brad Staubitz to tangle with Jessiman and raise the temperature of the game up heading into the final minutes.  Staubitz received a ten minute misconduct along with instigating and fighting calls.

The Sharks peppered Holt with 11 shots over the final frame but were unable to pull even.

Worcester is back in action on Friday for a rematch with the Wolf Pack, this time at the Civic Center in Hartford .  Pregame coveragewith Eric Lindquist begins at 6:30 on WTAG 580-AM.  The Sharks return to the DCU Center on Saturday, November 3^rd for a 7:05 pm contest against the East Division leading Philadelphia Phantoms.  Along with the standard Saturday Night Signings and College Night discounts, the first 3,000 fans through the games will receive an limited edition Collectors Card, hand-signed by Sharks defenseman Patrick Traverse.  Be sure to visit the new sharksahl.com for more information on game-night promotions and ticket packages.

NOTES… Iggulden’s goal extended his points streak to six games, as he has scored in every Sharks contest this year… every Worcester goal so far this season has been scored by a forward… the Sharks allowed a season-low 24 shots on net in the loss… Dakers has allowed just three combined goals in his first two professional starts… the game featured two fights - Brennan Evans’ third this year and Brad Staubitz’ second… both teams were 0 for 4 on the power play… the Sharks are 1 for 16 in the past four games with a man advantage.