Worcester Sharks vs. Hartford Wolf Pack

DCU Center – Worcester, MA

November 30, 2007

 

 

By: Chris Del Vecchio

 

WORCESTER – For the third time in three meetings this season, the Worcester Sharks found themselves on the wrong end of a close contest with the Hartford Wolf Pack.  The Sharks allowed three goals on six Hartford power plays, falling 4-2 to the Wolf Pack at the DCU Center on Friday evening.

 

While the Sharks struggled to create offense during the first period, Hartford peppered Thomas Greiss with 13 shots, five of which came over the course of two first period power plays.  With Dan Spang in the penalty box for hooking, Worcester lost track of Wolf Pack right wing Alex Bourret on the weak side.  Nigel Dawes found Bourret camping inside the right faceoff circle, and Greiss was unable to recover in time to prevent the opening goal of the game.

 

Worcester struck back early in the second, however, also on the power play.  The Sharks, sixth in the AHL with a man advantage, picked apart the Wolf Pack penalty kill to tie the game.  Nate Raduns fed Ashton Rome, who found a crashing Lukas Kaspar, who in turn poked the puck past Hartford netminder Miika Wiikman to tie the game.

 

Another man advantage tally swung the pendulum back in Hartford’s favor at 13:25 of the second period.  Thomas Pock teed up a straightaway slap shot from just inside the blue line that snuck inside the left upright to give the Wolf Pack a 2-1 lead after two periods.

 

The Sharks had a golden chance to pull even early in the third, and Wiikman needed a desperate sprawling save to deny Josh Prudden from just outside the crease.  Bourret added an insurance goal, which proved to be the game winner, to open up a two goal lead for Hartford midway through the final period.

 

Mike Iggulden pulled the Sharks back within one in the closing minutes, using a crafty deke to notch his team leading 11^th goal of the season, but Dane Byers halted any hopes of a comeback with an empty net tally to produce the 4-2 final.  The emotions of the loss were tapered by news that the specially designed pink mask worn by Greiss, who finished with 29 saves on 32 shots, sold for $4901.02 in an online auction on nhl.com.  All proceeds from the auction will benefit the American Cancer Society.

 

The Sharks hit the road on Saturday night for a 7:05 pm matchup with the Portland Pirates in the fourth game of this season’s Unum Cup.  Worcester then has a week off before kicking off a four game homestand on Friday, December 7^th at 7:05 pm against the Manchester Monarchs.  That evening, the Sharks will host Beach Party Night, with hula hooping contests and a karaoke challenge featuring play-by-play broadcaster Eric Lindquist during intermissions.  For more information on upcoming promotions or to purchase tickets, head to the new sharksahl.com or call the Sharks offices at 508-929-0500.

 

NOTES:  The $4901.02 sale price of the pink mask makes it the highest priced piece of game-used equipment or memorabilia sold on nhl.com… Power plays: Worcester 1/5, Hartford 3/6… Three stars: 3. Kaspar (1 goal), 2. Pock (1 goal, 1 assist), 1. Bourret (2 goals)…Kaspar and Raduns returned to the lineup after missing time with injuries… Graham Mink sat out with an injury  for the first time this season… The Sharks announced a press conference to be held Wednesday, December 5^th at 1:00 at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Worcester.  Fans are encouraged to attend.