For the first time since Jan. 30 and Feb. 1, the Worcester Sharks have won back-to-back games after defeating their Atlantic Division rival the Portland Pirates (AHL affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes) 3-2 at the DCU Center Saturday night.
Forwards Freddie Hamilton, Brodie Reid and rookie Eriah Hayes scored for the Sharks, who won for the first time at home since Feb. 1, while goaltender Harri Sateri made 28 saves for his 14th win of the season.
“We did it the right way,” said Sharks head coach Roy Sommer of the win in a post game interview with Bill Ballou of Telegram.com. “We got timely goals and we got good goaltending with timely saves.”
The Sharks took a 1-0 lead at 14:06 of the first period when Hamilton had his pass attempt from in front of the right face-off circle deflect in off the skate of Pirates rookie defenseman Connor Murphy for a power play goal, his team leading 18th goal of the season. Sharks forwards Yanni Gourde and Daniil Tarasov were credited with the assists on the goal, which was the ninth time Hamilton has scored the first goal of the game.
Reid extended the Sharks lead to 2-0 at 19:58 when he reached out and deflected in defenseman Adam Comrie’s wrist shot from the left point near the blue line for his ninth goal of the season. Sharks forward Marek Viedensky was credited with the second assist.
The Pirates cut the Sharks lead in half at 11:18 of the second period when rookie defenseman Daine Todd intercepted the puck at center ice, skated into the Sharks zone and fired a slap shot from on top of the left face-off circle that deflected in off of Sharks defenseman Matt Pelech, who was trying to block the shot.
Hayes regained the Sharks’ two goal lead when he deflected in defenseman Taylor Doherty’s wrist shot from the right half wall for his seventh goal of the season. Sharks forward Chad Rau was credited with the secondary assist.
With goaltender Louie Domingue off for the extra attacker, the Pirates pulled to within a goal at 18:46 when forward Jordan Martinhook buried home a rebound for his 10th goal of the season. Following Martinhook’s goal, the Sharks played sound defense and didn’t give the Pirates a chance to tie the game.
NOTES… Final shots on goal were 37-30 in favor of the Sharks… The Sharks went 1-for-6 on the power play and 5-for-5 on the penalty kill… Sateri is now 14-20-1 with a 3.08 goals-against-average and .887 save percentage… Comrie had a game high five shots on goal… The Sharks are 19-4-1-1 this season when scoring the game’s first goal… This was the 10th of 12 meetings between the Sharks and Pirates this season… The Sharks are 6-4-0-0 against the Pirates this season, 13-12-0-1 at the DCU Center and 26-27-3-1 with 56 points overall… The Sharks wrap up their three-in-three weekend Sunday afternoon as they host the Albany Devils at 3pm/et.
THREE STARS
1. Harri Sateri – Sharks (28 saves, Win)
2. Marek Viedensky – Sharks (0-1-1)
3. Adam Comrie – Sharks (0-1-0, five shots on goal)
LINES
McCarthy / Kearns / DaSilva (A)
Gourde / Oleksuk / Hamilton (A)
Tarasov / Rau / Hayes
Scheidl / Viedensky / Reid
DEFENSE
Petrecki / DeMelo
Doherty / Abeltshauser
Comrie / Pelech
GOALIES
Sateri
Grosenick
SCRATCHES
Bonneau
Schwartz
Acolatse (inj)
Anderson (inj)
Davison (inj)
Tennyson (sjs)
Stalberg (ont)
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