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Worcester feasts on Penguins in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Playing the first game of a three-in-three road trip in Pennsylvania, the Worcester Sharks ended a two game losing streak by defeating the East Division leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins) 4-1 at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza Friday night.

Nine different Sharks skaters registered a point, highlighted by goal scorers Freddie Hamilton, Jimmy Bonneau, Marek Viedensky and Dan DaSilva.  Goaltender Harri Sateri made 24 saves in net for his sixth win of the season.

The Sharks took a 1-0 lead at 6:35 of the first period when Hamilton finished off a give-and-go with linemate Bracken Kearns with a wrist shot from the high right slot that beat Penguins goaltender Eric Hartzell blocker side for a power play goal, Hamilton’s seventh goal of the season.  Sharks defenseman Matt Tennyson was credited with the secondary assist.

Bonneau extended the Sharks lead to 2-0 at 2:41 of the second period with his first goal of the season (10th career goal in eight AHL seasons) off a wicked snap shot from the left face-off circle that deflected off a stick in front and beat Hartzell.  Viedensky and Sharks rookie defenseman Konrad Abeltshauser were credited with the assists.

The Penguins, who were outshot 14-8 through two periods, turned up the intensity in the third period as they outshot the Sharks 17-6 but Sateri was there to turn shot after shot away.  At 9:36, Viedensky put the Sharks up 3-0 with his second goal of the season off a redirection in front of Sharks defenseman Sena Acolatse’s low wrist shot from the top of the left face-off circle.  Sharks forward James Livingston was credited with the secondary assist.

Penguins forward Nick Drazenovic gave the home crowd something to cheer about when he beat Sateri on a penalty shot at 17:30 for his fourth goal of the season.  With Hartzell pulled for an extra attacker, DaSilva fired the puck into the empty net at 19:49 for his first goal of the season to seal a 4-1 Sharks victory.

NOTES… Final shots were 25-20 in favor of the Penguins… The Sharks went 1-for-4 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill… Sateri is now 6-8-1 with a 3.01 goals-against-average and .882 save percentage…  Viedensky had a game high five shots on goal and was the only skater to have a multi-point game (1-1-2)… DaSilva was signed to a standard AHL contract for the remainder of the season, retroactive to Dec. 12… Sharks defenseman and team captain Rob Davison was assessed a two minute minor for checking to the head at 14:05 of the third period… This was the second and final meeting between the Sharks and Penguins this season… The Sharks went 2-2-0-0 against the Penguins, are 6-4-1-0 on the road and 11-10-1-1 with 24 points overall… The Sharks’ Pennsylvania road trip continues Saturday night as they travel to play the Hershey Bears and rematch them Sunday evening.

THREE STARS
1.  Marek Viedensky – Sharks (1-1-2)
2.  Harri Sateri – Sharks (24 saves, Win)
3.  Nick Drazenovic – Penguins (1-0-1)

LINES
Kearns (A) / Hamilton (A) / Hayes
DaSilva / Oleksuk / Schwartz
Gogol / Viedensky / Livingston
Bonneau / Brace / Reid

DEFENSE
Doherty / Abeltshauser
Davison (C) / Tennyson
Acolatse / DeMelo

GOALIES
Sateri
Grosenick

SCRATCHES
Comrie
Petrecki
Stalberg
Pelech (inj)
Tarasov (inj)
Scheidl (inj)

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