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Taormina overtime winning goal lifts Worcester to fourth straight win

Worcester Sharks defenseman Matt Taormina scored the game-winning-goal at 2:38 of overtime to lift the Sharks to a 3-2 victory over the St. John’s IceCaps (AHL affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets) Saturday night at the DCU Center.

Forwards Evan Trupp and John McCarthy each registered a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who extended their winning streak to four games, while goaltender Troy Grosenick made 18 saves in net for his 19th win of the season. In addition, Sharks captain Bryan Lerg dished out two assists.

Trupp put the Sharks ahead 1-0 at 10:49 of the first period when he trailed behind Lerg on Lerg’s breakaway attempt and beat IceCaps goaltender Peter Budaj with a snap shot from between the hash marks for his 15th goal of the season. Sharks forward Matt Willows had the secondary assist.

Near the tail end of the period, the IceCaps pulled even at 17:39 when on the power play, defenseman Brenden Kichton fired a shot on goal from deep inside the left faceoff circle that was deflected in front by forward Chase Balisy for his 17th goal of the season.

At 10:28 of the second period, the IceCaps went ahead 2-1 as forward Blair Riley got behind the Sharks defense and beat Grosenick on a breakaway for his sixth goal of the season.

With the Sharks on their fifth power play of the game near the midway point of the third period, McCarthy tied the game at 10:11 with his 14th goal of the season off a quick shot from on top of the crease that was set up by a behind the net centering feed from Trupp. Lerg had the secondary assist on the goal, which was McCarthy’s 63rd as a Shark.

In overtime, Taormina beat Budaj with a snap shot from on top of the faceoff circles for his ninth goal of the season, two of which have been scored in overtime. McCarthy and Sharks forward Ryan Carpenter, who intercepted the puck deep inside the IceCaps zone to set up Taormina’s goal, were credited with the assists.

NOTES… Shots on goal were 36-20 in favor of the Sharks… The Sharks went 1-for-7 on the power play and 1-for-2 on the penalty kill… Grosenick is now 19-10-3 with a 2.61 goals-against-average and .906 save percentage… Sharks forward Eriah Hayes had a game high five shots on goal… Taormina (1-3-4) has a three game point streak… Sharks defenseman Taylor Doherty fought Riley at 15:03 of the first period and the Sharks now have 32 fighting majors this season… This was the eighth and final meeting between the Sharks and IceCaps this season…The Sharks went 5-2-1 against the IceCaps, are 21-10-3 at the DCU Center and 36-23-6 with 78 points overall… The Sharks wrap up their three-in-three weekend Sunday afternoon as they host the Springfield Falcons at 3 p.m/et.

THREE STARS
1. Matt Taormina – Sharks (1-0-1, GWG)
2. John McCarthy – Sharks (1-1-2)
3. Blair Riley – IceCaps (1-0-1)

LINES
Lerg (C) / Trupp / Willows
McCarthy / Carpenter / Hayes
Haley (A) / Oleksuk / Coetzee
Bonneau / Schwartz / Ciampini

DEFENSE
Stollery / Doherty
Taormina (A) / Tennyson
Young / Fedun

GOALIES
Grosenick
Dell

SCRATCHES
Abeltshauser
Crane
DeMelo
Rumpel
Ryan
Emanuelsson (inj)
Langlois (inj)
Parkes (inj)

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