Needing just one point to clinch their first Calder Cup Playoff berth since the 2009-10 season, the Worcester Sharks were shut out 3-0 by the Providence Bruins (AHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins) at the DCU Center in front of 5,538 fans.
The loss was the second in a row for the Sharks, who have lost three of their last four games while being outscored 12-3. However, help is on the way as forwards Bryan Lerg, Chris Tierney, and defensemen Karl Stollery and Taylor Fedun are returning from San Jose after their NHL season concluded Saturday afternoon with a 4-1 loss in Los Angeles.
Providence defenseman Yann Sauve scored his second goal of the season at 8:29 of the second period with a slap shot from the left point that beat Sharks goaltender Troy Grosenick after changing direction through the slot due to what appeared to be a tip in front by forward Brian Ferlin.
The lead was extended to 2-0 at 18:04 when on a power play, Providence forward Frank Vatrano corralled a cross zone pass from linemate Austin Czarnik at the right faceoff circle dot and beat Grosenick with a wind up snap shot for his first professional goal.
Though the Sharks outshot Providence 14-4 in the third period, they couldn’t get the puck past Subban, who finished with 33 saves for the shutout win and ended his six-game losing streak against the Sharks. Providence got one more goal at 15:21 when forward Tyler Randall beat Grosenick over the glove with a quick shot from point blank range while on the move on an odd man rush for his 10th goal of the season.
NOTES… Shots on goal were 33-24 in favor of the Sharks… The Sharks went 0-for-5 on the power play and 1-for-2 on the penalty kill… The Sharks’ power play is 4-for-56 in the last 13 games… Grosenick finished with 21 saves and had his nine-game winning streak against Providence snapped… Grosenick is now 19-12-3 with a 2.64 goals-against-average and .905 save percentage… Sharks forward Daniil Tarasov had a game high six shots on goal… Sharks forward Matt Willows dropped the gloves against Providence forward Andrew Cherniwchan at 7:22 of the third period… The loss was the Sharks’ first on home ice when playing in front of a crowd of over 5,000 (10-1-0)… This was the 11th of 12 meetings between the Sharks and Providence this season… The Sharks are 7-4-0 against Providence, 22-11-3 at the DCU Center and 40-26-6 with 86 points overall… The Sharks wrap up their three-in-three weekend Sunday afternoon (April 12) as they host the Albany Devils at 3 p.m./et.
THREE STARS
1. Malcolm Subban – Providence (33 saves, Shutout Win)
2. Frank Vatrano – Providence (1-0-1)
3. Tyler Randell – Providence (1-0-1)
LINES
Goodrow / Carpenter / Hayes
Goldobin / Haley (A) / Tarasov
Trupp / Oleksuk (A) / Coetzee
Ciampini / Doremus / Willows
DEFENSE
Taormina (A) / Tennyson
Ryan / Doherty
Young / DeMelo
SCRATCHES
Bonneau
Schwartz
Emanuelsson (inj)
Langlois (inj)
McCarthy (inj)
Parkes (inj)
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