Playing the second game of a three-game set at the Mile One Centre, the Worcester Sharks defeated their Atlantic Division rival the St. John’s IceCaps (AHL affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets) 3-2 Friday night after defenseman Sena Acolatse scored the game-winning-goal in the ninth round of the shootout.
The Sharks, who snapped their four-game losing streak, got goals in regulation from defenseman Matt Tennyson and forward Freddie Hamilton while goaltender Harri Sateri made 27 saves (7-of-9 attempts in the shootout) for his second win of the season.
After a scoreless first period that saw Sateri make 11 saves, Tennyson put the Sharks up 1-0 at 10:55 of the second period with a power play goal, his first goal of the season, off a snap shot from the top of the left slot that beat IceCaps goaltender Eddie Pasquale blocker side. Sharks defenseman Adam Comrie and forward Bracken Kearns were credited with the assists.
Just 48-seconds later, Sharks captain Rob Davison was assessed a five minute major for boarding as well as a game misconduct. On the ensuing IceCaps power play, IceCaps forward Jason Jaffray split the Sharks defense at the blue line and beat Sateri top shelf with a snap shot from the top of the center slot for a power play goal, his sixth goal of the season, at 12:16 to tie the game at 1-1.
In the third period, Hamilton regained the Sharks lead at 7:16 when he corralled a rebound deep inside the left face-off circle and fired the puck (while falling to the ice) past Pasquale blocker side for his third goal of the season. Sharks forward Brodie Reid and Comrie were credited with the assist.
The IceCaps answered back at 9:50 when forward Jarome Samson beat Sateri with a wrist shot from inside the left slot for a power play goal, his fifth goal of the season, after corralling a cross ice feed from linemate Andrew Gordon.
Despite out-shooting the IceCaps 4-0 in overtime, the Sharks couldn’t get the puck past Pasquale for the winning goal. In the shootout, the IceCaps held a 1-0 advantage when Sharks forward James Livingston beat Pasquale over the shoulder in the fifth round to extend the shootout. After IceCaps forward John Albert and Sharks forward Sebastian Stalberg both scored in the sixth round, Acolatse won the game for the Sharks in the ninth round when he beat Pasquale through the wickets for the winning goal.
NOTES… Final shots were 29-23 in favor of the IceCaps… The Sharks went 1-for-4 on the power play and 4-for-6 on the penalty kill… Sateri is now 2-6-0 with a 3.60 goals-against-average and .860 save percentage… Hamilton had a game high five shots on goal… Comrie, who skated as a forward, had two assists and was the only Sharks player to have a multi point game… Sharks defenseman Taylor Doherty fought IceCaps forward Ryan Schnell at 3:51 of the first period followed by a fight between Sharks forward Curt Gogol and Gordon at 8:46… The Sharks now have 19 fighting majors through 12 games… This was the third of 10 meetings between the teams this season… The Sharks are 2-0-1-0 against the IceCaps this season, 2-2-1-0 on the road and 4-7-1-0 with nine points overall.
Three Stars
1. Harri Sateri – Sharks (27 saves, 7-of-9 in SO, WIN)
2. Jerome Samson – IceCaps (1-0-1)
3. Sena Acolatse – Sharks (GWG in SO)
Lines
Reid / Hamilton / Kearns (A)
Oleksuk / Schwartz / Stalberg
Hayes / Viedensky (A) / Comrie
Gogol / Brace / Livingston
**Placing of L2 – L4 might be mixed up**
Defense
Doherty / Abeltshauser
Acolatse / Tennyson
Davison (C) / DeMelo
Goalies
Sateri
Grosenick
Scratches
Petrecki (scr)
Bonneau (inj)
Scheidl (inj)
Tarasov (inj)
Pelech (susp)
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