Despite entering the third period with a two goal lead, the Worcester Sharks saw their lead disappear and losing streak extend to four games as they were defeated 3-2 in overtime by their Atlantic Division rival the St. John’s IceCaps (AHL affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets) at the Mile One Centre Wednesday night. Forwards Rylan Schwartz and Daniil Tarasov scored for the Sharks while goaltender Troy Grosenick made 27 saves in net.
“(Grosenick) made a couple really good stops and played a strong game,” said IceCaps head coach Keith McCambridge in a post game interview with Ed Veilleux of The Canadian Press for a special article on Telegram.com. “He had a really strong game and I thought that was a really good performance from him tonight.”
Schwartz put the Sharks up 1-0 at 2:03 of the first period when he used his speed to corral a loose puck in the neutral zone, skated in and roofed a backhanded shot past IceCaps goaltender Eddie Pasquale for a short handed goal, his first goal of the season.
In the second period, Tarasov extended the Sharks lead to 2-0 at 6:58 when he corralled his own rebound and stuffed the puck into the net from behind the goal line (inside the trapezoid) on the right side for a power play goal, his seventh goal of the season. Sharks forwards Marek Viedensky and Freddie Hamilton were credited with the assists.
After being out-shot 19-16 through two periods, the IceCaps turned up the intensity in the third period and cut the Sharks lead in half at 5:32 when alternate captain Andrew Gordon, who was positioned on top of the crease, redirected a centering feed from linemate Eric O’Dell past Grosenick for a 5-on-3 power play goal, his sixth goal of the season.
With the Sharks on a power play opportunity late in the period, IceCaps forward Jerome Samson skated into the Sharks zone 1-on-3, went around the Sharks net on the right side and had his wrap around attempt on the left side blocked by Sharks forward Travis Oleksuk. However, neither Oleksuk or Sharks defenseman Matt Tennyson picked up the loose puck and Samson fired the puck into the open net at 18:15 for a short handed goal, his third goal of the season, to tie the game at 2-2.
In overtime, the IceCaps only needed 26-seconds as Samson fired a shot from the edge of the left face-off circle past Grosenick for the game-winning-goal seconds after Grosenick had made back-to-back saves.
NOTES… Final shots were 30-25 in favor of the IceCaps… The Sharks went 1-for-7 on the power play and 6-for-7 on the penalty kill… Grosenick is now 2-2-0 with a 2.36 goals-against-average and .918 save percentage… Sharks forward Brodie Reid had a team high four shots on goal… Sharks defenseman and captain Rob Davison fought IceCaps forward Ryan Schnell at 11:25 of the second period… The Sharks now have 17 fighting majors through 11 games… Sharks forward Riley Brace returned to the Sharks lineup after being recalled from the San Francisco Bulls of the ECHL… Brace had an assist and four shots on goal in two games with the Bulls… This was the second of 10 meetings between the Sharks and IceCaps this season… The Sharks are 1-0-1-0 against the IceCaps this season, 1-2-1-0 on the road and 3-7-1-0 with seven points overall.
Three Stars
1. Jerome Samson – IceCaps (2-0-2, GWG)
2. Eddie Pasquale – IceCaps (23 saves, Win)
3. Troy Grosenick – Sharks (27 saves, Loss)
Lines
Tarasov / Viedensky (A) / Hamilton
Livingston / Kearns (A) / Oleksuk
Hayes / Schwartz / Stalberg
Gogol / Brace / Reid
Defense
Abeltshauser / Tennyson
Acolatse / Davison (C)
Petrecki / Doherty
Goalies
Grosenick
Sateri
Scratches
Comrie (scr)
DeMelo (scr)
Bonneau (inj)
Scheidl (inj)
Pelech (susp)
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