SHARKSPAGE

WorSharks slow start costs them in long run as they lose 5-2 to Manchester

The Worcester Sharks have gotten into the habit lately of starting off slowly and finishing with a bang, but Friday night at the DCU Center against the Manchester Monarchs the WorSharks couldn’t make up the ground they lost early in the game and saw their modest three game winning streak grind to a halt after losing 5-2 to their division rivals from New Hampshire. Matt Tennyson and Matt Taormina each scored a goal for Worcester, while Jordan Weal paced the Monarchs with two goals and an assist. The teams will play again Sunday afternoon in Manchester.

Worcester Sharks rookie goaltender J.P. Anderson made his first home start of the season
for the WorSharks and despite not playing poorly allowed three goals on 33 shots in a 5-2
loss to Manchester. The Monarchs final two goals were into an empty net.
Photo courtesy of TEAMSHRED

For video highlights we once again use the WorSharks YouTube channel.

Scratches for Worcester were Konrad Abeltshauser, Petter Emanuelsson (shoulder), and Rylan Schwartz. With Troy Grosenick getting the call to replace an injured Al Stalock in San Jose the WorSharks recalled goaltender Aaron Dell from the Allen Americans, the Sharks ECHL affiliate. Dell played six AHL games last season for Abbotsford and his numbers (2.29/.922) were respectable. In three games with the Americans this season Dell’s numbers are not quite so good (4.46/.831).

Prior to the game the WorSharks announced that Bryan Lerg will serve at the team’s seventh captain in franchise history. It was predicted by many, including Yours truly, when he was signed over the summer. Lerg joins Graham Mink (2007-08), Ryan Vesce (2008-10), Jay Leach (2010-11), Mike Moore (2011-12), John McCarthy (2012-13), and Rob Davison (2013-14) in wearing the “C”.

The official scorers at the DCU Center usually do a great job in awarding assists, but they missed one on Tennyson’s first period goal. The video is pretty clear that Dylan DeMelo should get one for his pass to Freddie Hamilton.

Streaking WorSharks: Tennyson has points in four straight games (2g,2a), and Hamilton a two game streak (2a).

Bobby Howard of the Power Play Post Show has been tracking the statistics for the AHL’s new overtime rules, where they play seven minutes and after the first whistle beyond the three minute mark switch from four-on-four to three-on-three. Just looking at his numbers it’s a safe bet that not only will it be in the AHL to stay but the NHL will undoubtedly be adopting it for next season. Through 177 games played, this season there have been 36 games that have gone into OT and just six continued on to the shootout. Compared to last season over the same total of games played there was 45 OT games with 29 going on to a shootout. The numbers prove that the new rules do work in reducing shootout games.

The three stars of the game were:
1. MCH – 19 Jordan Weal (2g,a)
2. MCH – 35 Jean-Francois Berube (win,29 saves)
3. WOR – 5 Matt Tennyson (g)

The Sharkspage player of the game was Matt Taormina.

Even strength lines
Langlois/Hamilton/Tarasov
Haley/Karlsson/Carpenter
Lerg/Tierney/Hayes
Bonneau/Oleksuk/Trupp

Tennyson/Taormina
Fedun/DeMelo
Young/Doherty

BOX SCORE

Manchester 3 0 2 – 5
Worcester 1 0 1 – 2

1st Period-1, Manchester, Van der Gulik 3 (Miller, Backman), 1:08. 2, Manchester, Weal 4 (Sabourin), 13:00. 3, Manchester, Weal 5 (Miller, Dowd), 15:33 (PP). 4, Worcester, Tennyson 3 (Hamilton), 18:23 (PP). Penalties-Gratton Mch (fighting), 3:28; Bonneau Wor (fighting), 3:28; Crescenzi Mch (tripping), 6:45; Doherty Wor (roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct), 15:24; Miller Mch (double minor – high-sticking), 18:10.

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Crescenzi Mch (hooking), 9:17; Horvat Mch (tripping), 15:18.

3rd Period-5, Worcester, Taormina 2 17:47. 6, Manchester, Backman 4 (Weal), 18:35 (EN). 7, Manchester, Shore 6 (Auger, O’Neill), 19:15 (EN). Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Manchester 15-8-12-35. Worcester 12-11-8-31.
Power Play Opportunities-Manchester 1 / 2; Worcester 1 / 5.
Goalies-Manchester, Berube 6-3-0 (31 shots-29 saves). Worcester, Anderson 1-2-0 (33 shots-30 saves).
A-2,805
Referees-Jarrod Ragusin (2).
Linesmen-Ed Boyle (81), Frank Murphy (29).

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