Bracken Kearns had two power play goals, including the game winning goal, and Alex Stalock stopped 32-of-34 shots as the Worcester Sharks defeated the Providence Bruins 3-2 Friday night at the Dunkin Donuts Center for their first road win since March 3.
In a game that saw the teams combine for 70 penalty minutes and three sets of fighting majors, Tim Kennedy gave the Sharks an early 1-0 lead with his team leading fourth goal of the season at 7:12 of the first period off a deflection in front of a Nick Petrecki shot from the point. Sharks captain John McCarthy was credited with the secondary assist and Kennedy is now tied with Sharks rookie Sebastian Stalberg for the team lead in goals.
With a 5-on-3 power play advantage, Carter Camper tied the game for the Bruins at 15:45 with his first goal of the season as he buried home a shot from the left face-off circle after corralling a through-the-crease pass from linemate Jamie Tardif.
Kearns put the Sharks back in the lead at 18:26 with a power play goal as he tipped a Danny Groulx shot from the left point past Bruins goaltender Michael Hutchinson for his second goal of the season. Sena Acolatse was credited with the secondary assist.
In the second period, 13 penalties totaling 40 minutes were called and was highlighted by Acolatse beating down Christian Hanson of the Bruins in a tilt at 3:25. In the midst of all the penalties, Kearns scored his second power play goal of the game at 10:41 with a backhanded shot from between the face-off circles that beat Hutchinson. Jon Matsumoto, who stole the puck and left it near the left face-off circle for the trailing Kearns, had the only assist on the goal, which held up as the game winner.
In the third period, the Bruins pulled to within a goal at 14:57 when Max Sauve scored a power play goal, his fourth goal of the season, from in close after Bruins defenseman Torey Krug faked everyone out with a shot fake from on top of the face-off circles. However, the Bruins were unable to get the puck into the net for the tying goal in the final 5:03 as Stalock held the Bruins at bay for his third win of the season.
NOTES: The Sharks were outshot 34-20… The Sharks went 2-for-3 on the power play and 4-for-6 on the penalty kill… Stalock is now 3-2-0-0 with a 3.01 goals-against-average and .894 save percentage… Groulx played in his 500th career AHL game… All of Kearns’ goals this season have come on the power play… The Sharks released defenseman Mike Banwell from his PTO on Thursday after he appeared in three games, registering an assist and seven penalty minutes… Taylor Doherty returned to the Sharks lineup after missing the last five games due to injury… Brodie Reid (inj), Mikael Tam (inj), Matt Pelech (susp), Jimmy Bonneau (scr), Travis Oleksuk (scr), Marek Viedensky (scr) and Daniil Tarasov (scr) did not dress for the Sharks… This was the first of 12 meetings between the two teams… Sharks enforcer Frazer McLaren dropped the gloves with Lane MacDermid of the Bruins at 9:26 of the first period for his second fight of the season and Brandon Mashinter dropped the gloves with Bobby Robbins of the Bruins at 18:27 for his first fight of the season… With the three fights, the Sharks now have 10 through eight games… The Sharks have won two in a row (and three of their last four) and are now 3-4-0-1 overall.
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