SHARKSPAGE

Cheechoo, WorSharks Sink Pirates, 4-2

The Worcester Sharks got goals from four different players and multiple point nights from Jonathan Cheechoo, Sean Sullivan, and Steven Zalewski to defeat the Portland Pirates 4-2 Tuesday night at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine to sweep their division rivals in their home-and-home series. The win propelled the WorSharks into second place in the AHL’s Atlantic Division.

Portland would grab the first goal of the game with a power play tally at 10:45 of the first, just 13 seconds after James Marcou was sent to the box for tripping. With three WorSharks penalty killers along the halfboards to the left of Worcester goaltender Alex Stalock and second defenseman Sullivan inching higher to cover the slot, Portland forward Corey Tropp was able to get to the front of the net without a WorSharks skater within 25 feet of him. Derek Whitmore threw an easy backhand pass to the wide open forward and Stalock never stood a chance.

Worcester would answer at 16:24 of the period when Dan DaSilva stole the puck right off the stick of Pirates center Paul Byron and fired a quick wrist shot past Portland netminder Jhonas Enroth to light the lamp. Fifty seconds later Sullivan would atone for his defensive miscue when he banged home a rebound of a Zalewski shot. Cheechoo took a long pass from Nick Petrecki into the Pirates zone, where he was then pinned against the boards. Zalewski streaked into the zone down the right wing side and after a pass from Cheechoo went deep into the zone, throwing a bad angle shot on net. As T.J. Trevelyan was tying up a defenseman just outside the crease Sullivan was able to pounce on the loose puck.

Cheechoo would make it 3-1 with the only goal of the second period. After Portland tried to clear the puck around their net Cheechoo pounced on Pirates defender Marc-Andre Gragnani, knocking the stick from his hands. Zalewski followed up behind Cheechoo and grabbed the loose puck, flipping it back to Cheechoo. The 2005-06 “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner skated unmolested out of the right corner and fired a hard wrist shot over the left shoulder of Enroth and just inside the far post at 9:03.

The WorSharks would make it 4-1 at 5:40 of the third period when Kevin Henderson pounced on a rebound of a Andrew Desjardins blast and fired it back into a wide open net. Portland would grab a power play goal from Matt Ellis, again with Marcou in the box, at 17:10 of the third. But any chance of a miracle comeback was stymied by the Pirates themselves as Tropp and T.J. Brennan were called for minors 12 seconds after with less than two minutes left in the game, and Worcester played keep away from the Pirates and drove away from Portland with two points in the bag.

GAME NOTES
Just as it appeared things were looking up in the injury front, defenseman Mike Moore was added to the list with a leg injury. Moore joins Frazer McLaren (hip) and Tony Lucia (concussion) on the unavailable list. Joe Loprieno was a healthy scratch. Carter Hutton was the back-up netminder.

After the game the WorSharks announced that Jonathan Cheechoo’s PTO contract had been extended for another 25 games.

The WorSharks aren’t the only team with personnel issues, as due to injuries and recalls Portland was forced to use just ten forwards and 17 skaters. One of the recalls for the Pirates was WorSharks killer Mark Mancari, who was in uniform for the Buffalo Sabres in their 3-2 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins. Mancari had an assist in the game.

There was one fight in the contest, a third period scrap between Brandon Mashinter (6’4″, 222#) and Pirates winger Igor Gongalsky (6’0″, 210#). Mashinter was the easy winner of the bout, landing several unanswered shots and pulling the jersey over Gongalsky’s head.

The three stars of the game were
1. WOR – 14 Jonathan Cheechoo (g,a,+2)
2. WOR – 15 Steven Zalewski (2a,+2)
3. WOR – 37 Sean Sullivan (g,a,+2)

Cheechoo was also the AHL’s number two star of the night.

The Sharkspage player of the game was Kevin Henderson.

BOXSCORE
Worcester 2 1 1 – 4
Portland 1 0 1 – 2

1st Period-1, Portland, Tropp 4 (Whitmore, Schiestel), 10:45 (PP). 2, Worcester, DaSilva 5   16:24. 3, Worcester, Sullivan 8 (Cheechoo, Zalewski), 17:14. Penalties-Marcou Wor (tripping), 10:32; Roloff Por (goaltender interference), 13:34; Schaus Wor (kneeing), 18:59.

2nd Period-4, Worcester, Cheechoo 9 (Zalewski), 9:03. Penalties-Henderson Wor (high-sticking), 4:42; Schiestel Por (hooking), 9:47; Biega Por (high-sticking), 10:34; Biega Por (high-sticking), 14:43.

3rd Period-5, Worcester, Henderson 4 (Desjardins, Sullivan), 5:40. 6, Portland, Ellis 4 (Stuart), 17:10 (PP). Penalties-Zalewski Wor (cross-checking), 7:10; Mashinter Wor (fighting), 9:25; Gongalsky Por (fighting), 9:25; Marcou Wor (slashing), 16:29; Tropp Por (high-sticking), 18:17; Brennan Por (elbowing), 18:29.

Shots on Goal-Worcester 8-10-10-28. Portland 11-6-9-26.
Power Play Opportunities-Worcester 0/6; Portland 2/5.
Goalies-Worcester, Stalock 12-8-2 (26 shots-24 saves). Portland, Enroth 6-6-1 (28 shots-24 saves).
A-4,896
Referees-Jean Hebert (43), Mark Lemelin (84). Linesmen-Jeremy Lovett (78), Landon Bathe (80).