Worcester fails to clinch playoff birth after point less weekend

Back on Feb. 15, the Worcester Sharks lost 5-4 in overtime to the St. John's Icecaps in Newfoundland after surrendering four goals in the third period.

Right now, that extra point left on "The Rock" is coming back to haunt the Sharks as they were unsuccessful for the second night in a row in their attempt to get the one point they need to clinch their first Calder Cup Playoff birth since the 2009-10 season after being defeated 3-2 by the Albany Devils (AHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils) Sunday afternoon at the DCU Center.

The Sharks, who have lost three in a row and been outscored 15-5 in their last five games, got goals from forwards Daniil Tarasov and Barclay Goodrow, while goaltender Aaron Dell made 27 saves in net.

Tarasov put the Sharks ahead 1-0 at 19:12 of the first period when his through the crease pass from the right corner intended for linemate Nikolay Goldobin banked in off Albany goaltender Scott Wedgewood for a power play goal. Sharks forward Micheal Haley and defenseman Matt Taormina had the assists on the goal, which was Tarasov's 15th of the season.

Albany tied the game midway through the second period at 10:56 on a power play goal, 14th goal of the season, by forward Reid Boucher, who kept the puck in at the right point when Sharks forward Travis Oleksuk attempted to clear the puck out and beat Dell with a snap shot from the top of the right slot.

At 7:32 of the third period and with Albany on another power play, forward Paul Thompson buried home a rebound from deep inside the left faceoff circle for his franchise record 33rd goal of the season.

Needing a goal to tie late in the period, the Sharks pulled Dell for the extra attacker inside the final 90-seconds of the period but Albany forward Stefan Matteau scored an empty net goal at 18:46 to give Albany a 3-1 lead.

Goodrow pulled the Sharks to within a goal at 19:36 with a shot from deep inside the right faceoff cirlce for his first career AHL goal but it was too little too late.

NOTES... Shots on goal were 30-28 in favor of Albany... The Sharks went 1-for-6 on the power play and 3-for-5 on the penalty kill... Dell is now 15-7-2 with a 1.94 goals-against-average and .930 save percentage... Sharks defenseman Taylor Doherty and Joakim Ryan had the assists on Goodrow's goal... Taormina had a team high four shots on goal... This was the fourth and final meeting between the Sharks and Albany this season... The Sharks went 1-3-0 against Albany, are 22-12-3 at the DCU Center and 40-27-6 with 88 points overall... The Sharks are back in action April 17 when they travel to Providence with the puck dropping at 7:05 p.m./et.

THREE STARS
1. Paul Thompson - Albany (1-0-1)
2. Scott Wedgewood - Albany (26 saves, Win)
3. Daniil Tarasov - Sharks (1-0-1)

LINES
Goodrow / Carpenter / Hayes
Goldobin / Haley (A) / Tarasov
Trupp / Oleksuk (A) / Coetzee
Ciampini / Schwartz / Willows

DEFENSE
Taormina (A) / Tennyson
Ryan / Doherty
Young / DeMelo

GOALIES
Dell
Grosenick

SCRATCHES
Bonneau
Doremus
Emanuelsson (inj)
Langlois (inj)
McCarthy (inj)
Parkes (inj)
Fedun (trv)
Lerg (trv)
Stollery (trv)
Tierney (trv)