JAWS II, REVENGE OF THE SHARKS

Howlings was unable to attend the second game of the third game of the preseason. DO not fear Howlings faithful, we will be in the house for the Pack’s final preseason tilt Sunday for a home game vs. the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at Champions Skating Center in Cromwell, CT. Faceoff is scheduled for precisely 4:30 PM. Admission for that game is $5, with proceeds benefiting Connecticut Clippers Youth Hockey. Champions Skating Center is located at 6 Progress Drive in Cromwell.

Here is Bob Crawford’s skillful recap of the action from Loring Arena in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Defenseman Patrick Traverse’s goal at 2:20 of overtime gave the Worcester Sharks a 3-2 victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack in AHL preseason play Saturday night at Loring Arena in Framingham. The loss ran the Wolf Pack’s preseason record to 2-0-1-0.

Brodie Dupont led Hartford with a goal and an assist, while Matt Jones notched a goal and a helpout for the Sharks.

Jones gave Worcester the game’s first lead at 1:32 of the second period, on a power-play rebound. That was the first goal given up by Wolf Pack goaltender Martin Houle in over four periods of exhibition play, after the Sharks had outshot Hartford 17-9 in the first frame. Jones’ marker was also the first man-advantage goal surrendered by the Wolf Pack in 20 times-short this preseason.

Michel Leveille knotted the score for the Wolf Pack at 11:17 of the second, snapping a shot from the slot past Worcester netminder Kyle Jones. Dupont and Ryan Hillier got credit for the assists, and blueliner Ethan Graham started the play by keeping the puck in the offensive zone near the blueline.

Dupont then gave Hartford its only lead of the game at 17:58 with an unassisted goal. He stole the puck just outside the Shark goalmouth before putting it behind Jones.

That lead lasted only 4:27 into the third frame, as Worcester would even the score on a P.J. Fenton tally. Fenton deposited a centering pass from Andrew Desjardins into the Wolf Pack net.

After neither team could convert on a late third-period man-advantage, Traverse ended the contest with a low shot that found an opening beneath Houle’s pads.

Houle finished the game with 34 saves in the Hartford cage, and Jones stopped 22 out 24 shots for Worcester.