•In the midst of a seven-game losing streak, Worcester looks to get a much-needed home victory on Wednesday against Springfield. It marks the second-consecutive game with the Falcons--the Sharks hold a 4-1-0-0 record in the season series. On Sunday, the Falcons came out flying with a 7-4 win. In that game, newly-acquired Grant Potulny scored four of the Falcons’ goals while Devin Setoguchi, Mike Iggulden, Graham Mink, and Dan Spang scored for Worcester.

•The game will be carried over the radio on the Worcester Sharks’ flagship station WTAG (580 AM). The voice of the Sharks, Eric Lindquist, calls the action while Chris Del Vecchio handles the intermissions. The game can also be seen on the B2 Network.

•There will be an eating contest at center ice during an intermission as part of Fill Me Up Wednesdays.

 

For more information on ticket packages and promotions, or to purchase tickets, call the Sharks offices at 508-929-0500, check out the new www.sharksahl.com, or order through Ticketmaster.

 

•AHL All-Star Rob Schremp leads the Falcon offense with 52 points (14g, 38) while Marc Pouliot has 40 (19g, 21a) and T.J. Kemp has 32 (6g, 26a). Jeff Deslauriers has seen the majority of time in net holding a 20-13-8 record, a .913 save pct and 2.78 GAA. Backup has Devan Dubnyk has been formidable with a .908 save pct and 2.96 GAA.

 

Oct. 6              Worcester 4 at Springfield 2

Nov. 12           Worcester 2 at Springfield 1 (SO)

Jan. 21            Worcester 3 at Springfield 2 (OT)

Jan. 26            Worcester 5 at Springfield 4 (SO)

Feb. 24            Springfield 7 at Worcester 4

 

Goals               18                                            16

Shots               134                                          147

Power Play      2-28 (7%)                                5-25 (20%)

 

Worcester: Lukas Kaspar 7 points (2g, 5a), Graham Mink 6 points (2g, 4a), Tom Cavanagh 4 points (2g, 2a), Dan Spang 4 points (2g, 2 a), Mike Iggulden 4 points (1g, 3a)

 

Springfield: Rob Schremp 4 points (1g, 3a), Marc Pouliot 4 points (1g, 3a), Grant Potulny 4 points (4g), Liam Reddox 4 points (1g, 3a), Ryan O’Marra 3 points (1g, 2a), Stephen Werner 3 points (2g, 1a), T.J. Kemp 3 points (0g, 3a),

Goals For                   2.72- 17th                     2.69-20th

Goals Agst                3.35- 28th                     3.03- 21st

Shots For                  30.04- 12th                   26.79- 26th

Shots Agst                29.72- 16th                  32.53- 27th

PP                               15.4%- 19th                 18.1%- 10th

PK                               79.2%- 27th                  82.8%- 16th

PIMS                          18.1-20th                       20.2-10th

•Despite Springfield changing affiliates from Tampa Bay to Edmonton, the rivalry between the Sharks and Falcons has not missed a beat. Through five games, there have been eight separate fights. Brennan Evans has been involved in four while Brad Staubitz has three and Graham Mink has one. On Sunday, Evans mixed it up with Stephen Werner while Staubitz and Rick Berry also dropped the gloves. Springfield’s Troy Bodie, who had two fights on Jan. 26, did not play on Sunday.

 

•When these two teams hit the ice, goals are bound to be scored within a short period of time.

•In the season-opener on Oct. 6 at Springfield, the Falcons took the lead at 2:11 of the first period before Graham Mink tied the score 1:36 later.

•On Jan. 21, the Falcons scored two goals within 12 seconds (at 9:34 and 9:46 of the first period), to jump out to the quick 2-0 lead.

•Five days later on the 26th, Stephen Werner gave Springfield the 1-0 lead at 7:09, but Devin Setoguchi tied the game 40 seconds later. In the second period of the same game, Springfield scored two goals in 28 seconds. Then in the third period, Werner had his second of the game at 18:40 to break a 3-3 tie, but Worcester scored an extra-attacker goal only 23 seconds later to quickly tie the game and force overtime.

•After Setoguchi tied the game on Sunday, the Falcons answered back with a goal 18 seconds later. In the second period, Mike Iggulden cut Springfield’s lead to 4-2 only 28 seconds after the Falcons took a three-goal cushion. In the third period, Springfield scored two goals in 40 seconds to extend a 5-3 lead to 7-3, putting the game away.

 

•The Sharks are home for an extended stretch and even after the recent 3-in-3 weekend, will still play 16 of the final 26 games at the friendly confines of the DCU Center.

 

•At 18:07 of the first period on Sunday, both teams were called for too many men on the ice at the same time.

•Devin Setoguchi and Tom Cavanagh are both in the midst of mini two-game point streaks.

•Ever since returning from injury on Feb. 2 at Manchester, defenseman Marc Busenburg has turned it up in the assist category. He has dished five helpers in seven games after having only two in his first 11 contests.

 

•Busenburg and Lukas Kaspar both tied their season-highs with two assists on Sunday.

 

•Kaspar’s two assists tied a season-high set on Jan. 21 against the same Springfield Falcons. He has enjoyed tremendous success in the season series, picking up seven points (2g, 5a) in five games. He only has 19 points (11g, 8 a) in 43 games against the rest of the league.

•The Sharks have had two extra attacker goals, both against the Falcons within five days in January. On Jan. 21, Derek Joslin scored to tie the game and force overtime with less than one minute remaining in regulation. On Jan. 26, Tom Cavanagh did the same thing. The Sharks went on to win both games.

 

•Former Worcester Shark Mathieu Darche, who currently plays for the Tampa Bay Lighting, scored a shorthanded goal against the Boston Bruins on Saturday. He currently has 12 points on five goals and seven assists.

•Garrett Stafford was recalled from the AHL’s Grand Rapid Griffins by Detroit on Saturday and made his NHL debut with the Red Wings against the Vancouver Canucks, recording one shot on goal.

•Eight players on the current San Jose Sharks roster have played at least one game in Worcester.

•Four have played this season:

Thomas Greiss has appeared in three games and owns a 0-1-1 record with a 3.26 GAA and .860 save pct … Marc-Edouard Vlasic who appeared in one game for Worcester over the NHL All-Star Break, has 11 points (1g, 10a) … Tomas Plihal has played in 11 games, scoring a goal … Sandis Ozolinsh has 3 goals and 16 assists.

•Four played for Worcester in 2006-07:

Steve Bernier has 23 points (13g, 10a), Matt Carle has 13 (2g, 11a), Torrey Mitchell has 18 (9g, 9a), and Joe Pavelski has 22 (12g, 10a).

 

•In every game preview, sharksahl.com will feature a different player. This week, read about Mike Iggulden’s 2007-08 All-Star season below.

 

2007-08 with Worcester: Scored a goal on 2/24 vs. Springfield … Had an assist at Norfolk (2/15). Also, later in the game, he tied the Sharks’ season-high for penalty minutes in a game with 29. Off the opening draw in the third period, he stuck up for teammate T.J. Fox by going after Karl Stewart who made a big hit on Fox earlier in the game. It was Iggulden’s second fighting major of the season …  Had an assist at Hershey (2/10) … Picked up a goal and assist at Lowell (2/6) in the Sharks’ 6-1 win over the Devils, earning him the No. 2 Star of the Game … Missed games at Providence (2/3), home vs. Manchester (2/2) due to an injury suffered on 2/1 at Philadelphia … Played for Team Canada at AHL All-Star Classic in Binghamton, NY … Ended seven game goal-scoring drought with a bang vs. Portland (1/18) … Scored two goals in the third period to force the game into overtime and two more in the shootout in a 4-3 shootout loss … Picked up at least one point in eight of 11 games dating from 12/16-1/5 … Recorded an assist vs. Providence (1/5) … Had two-assist games consecutively at Manchester (12/31) and vs. Hershey (1/2) … Tallied one goal and one assist vs. Lowell (12/30) … Had an assist at Lowell (12/27), and a goal at Portland (12/22) … Recorded three points (2g, 1a) on 12/18 at Lowell … Had an assist at Manchester two days prior (12/16) … Recorded first fighting  major of season 11/21 at Wilkes-Barre Scranton … Opened season with a seven-game point streak (10 pts: 5g, 5a) … Recorded a point in 11 of first 12 games (17 pts: 8g, 9a)