It had to happen at some point. The Wolf Pack dropped, what turned out to be a very dirty played game by the visiting Worcester Sharks 4-2 in front of 1,896 at the XL Center.
Howlings was only able to catch the first period due to scheduling conflicts, but our friend and mentor, Bruce Berlet was on the scene and saw all the action. Berlet posted this report at Hartfordwolfpack.com.
Tom Cavanagh scored twice as the Worcester Sharks rallied from a pair of
one-goal deficits for a 4-2 victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack Friday night at
the XL Center in a game that deteriorated into a street brawl in the final
minutes.
With 3:08 left, Sharks coach Roy Sommer got into a shouting match with Wolf
Pack assistants Pat Boller and J.J. Daigneault. Then after the final horn
sounded, the Wolf Pack’s Justin Soryal and Brodie Dupont fought Brett Westgarth
and Frazer McLaren.
Lauri Korpikoski, assigned to the Wolf Pack by the Rangers on Wednesday, made
his presence felt on his first shift as he rushed into the Sharks zone and
dropped a pass to P.A. Parenteau, whose snap shot from the right circle beat
Thomas Greiss (20 saves) to the glove side at 1:10.
The Wolf Pack (4-4-0-1), who had a three-game winning streak halted, killed
three consecutive Sharks power plays and nearly took a 2-0 lead on their first
man advantage before Greiss slid across to rob Korpikoski. But moments later,
Cavanagh blocked Greg Moore’s shot at the blueline, outraced the Wolf Pack
forward down the ice and put a backhander past Miika Wiikman (38 saves) to tie
it with 3:08 left in the period. It was the first shorthanded goal allowed by
the Wolf Pack this season.
The Wolf Pack regained the lead at 4:24 of the second period as Potter
cleared a pass to the far blueline to Dane Byers for a 2-on-1 with Parenteau,
who broke in alone to score his team-high fifth goal.
After the Wolf Pack’s Tommy Pyatt hit the post at 7:58, the Sharks scored two
quick carom goals to take their first lead while amassing a 13-3 shot advantage
in the period. First, Kyle McLaren, who has played 719 NHL games, shot wide, but
Riley Armstrong picked up the puck behind the net and banked in a shot off
Wiikman at 13:36. Then 44 seconds later, Cavanagh passed to the blueline to
Derek Joslin, whose shot deflected in off Wolf Pack defenseman Chris Murray.
Greiss kept the Sharks in front with brilliant stops on Moore and Dale Weise
early in the third period. Then with 10:07 left, the Sharks got a 5-on-3 for two
minutes and a potential 5-minute power play when Wolf Pack defenseman Vladimir
Denisov was given a minor, major, misconduct and game misconduct for pummeling
former Wolf Pack center Corey Larose, who had elbowed Bobby Sanguinetti to the
head.
Cavanagh stuffed his second goal past Wiikman at 11:46 for a 4-2 lead, then
Wiikman stopped Steven Zalewski’s breakaway during a 4-on-4 with 5:24 left
before the game turned ugly.
For the stats lovers there are always the Game Summary and the Official Scorer's Sheet.
From the "What-Game-Were-You-Watching" department, Bill Ballou of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette puts his spin on the game. Based upon what was written here, Ballou, who's been a reporter longer than paper has existed, must be looking to land a job in the Sharks PR department.
NOTES
* Bob Crawford has a very interesting piece about former Wolf Pack making their presence felt in NY at AHL.com
* The Charlotte Checkers won their home opener against the Augusta Lynx 5-0 behind solid performances from Peter Tsimikalis and Andreas Jamtin.
LINES
Dupont – Anisimov – Weise
BYERS – Korpikoski – PARENTEAU
Moore – Pyatt – Soryal
Sugden – Ouellette – DiDiomete
Denisov – Fahey
Murray – Graham
Sanguinetti – POTTER
Wiikman
(Alternate Captains in BOLD)
SCRATCHES
Sauer – Knee Injury
Owens – Injured
THREE STARS
1. WOR – 9 Tom Cavanagh
2. WOR – 25 Derek Joslin
3.
HFD – 17 Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau
ON-ICE OFFICIALS
Chris Ciamaga (41), Referee
David Spannaus (8),
Linesman
Frank Murphy (29), Linesman
Related
Mitch Beck
Related posts
Top picks
WOLF PACK SEND BRUINS PACKING WITH OT WIN
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack are headed to the Atlantic Division Finals for the second straight season. A wild bounce saw a puck clip Jake Leschyshyn and beat Brandon Bussi 9:41 into overtime of Game 4 at the XL Center on Friday night. The goal gave the Wolf Pack a 2-1 victory…
PRE-GAME: WOLF PACK CAN CLOSE OUT BRUINS TONIGHT
PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK LOOK TO CLOSE OUT SERIES AGAINST BRUINS AT XL CENTER By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack welcome the Providence Bruins to town tonight for Game 4 of their Atlantic Division Semifinals series. Thanks to an overtime victory in Game 3 on Wednesday night, the Wolf Pack lead the series…
WOLF PACK SUFFER UGLY LOSS TO P-BRUINS IN GAME 2
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack were forced to settle for a split in Providence, as the Bruins roared back to take Game 2 6-0 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on Friday night. The series, now tied 1-1, will shift to the XL Center in Hartford for Game 3 on Wednesday night. The…
WOLF PACK TAKE GAME ONE OF SEMIS IN P-TOWN
By: Shay Costa, Howlings PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack’s Anton Blidh scored 1:28 into the third period to give the team a 4-3 road win against his former team, the Providence Bruins, in Game One of the Atlantic Division semifinal in front of 2,683 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, RI. For the Latest in NHL Live…
WOLF PACK SEND BRUINS PACKING WITH OT WIN
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack are headed to the Atlantic Division Finals for the second straight season. A wild bounce saw a puck clip Jake Leschyshyn and beat Brandon Bussi 9:41 into overtime of Game 4 at the XL Center on Friday night. The goal gave the Wolf Pack a 2-1 victory…
WOLF PACK SUFFER UGLY LOSS TO P-BRUINS IN GAME 2
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack were forced to settle for a split in Providence, as the Bruins roared back to take Game 2 6-0 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on Friday night. The series, now tied 1-1, will shift to the XL Center in Hartford for Game 3 on Wednesday night. The…
WOLF PACK TAKE GAME ONE OF SEMIS IN P-TOWN
By: Shay Costa, Howlings PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack’s Anton Blidh scored 1:28 into the third period to give the team a 4-3 road win against his former team, the Providence Bruins, in Game One of the Atlantic Division semifinal in front of 2,683 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, RI. For the Latest in NHL Live…
WOLF PACK GET 3-PT NIGHT FROM PITLICK IN GM 1 WIN
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – Tyler Pitlick picked up three points on Wednesday night as the Hartford Wolf Pack marched into the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence and took Game 1 of their best-of-five Atlantic Division Semifinals series. The Wolf Pack struck four times at five-on-five to take the game 4-3. Anton Blidh gave the Wolf…
ORLANDO ENDS SWAMP RABBITS SEASON
Swamp Rabbits show life late, but Orlando pulls away to win the series BY: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, SC– Jaydon Dureau’s two-goal night spearheaded a 5-1 Orlando Solar Bears win over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Tuesday to win the South Division Semifinals in six games. Orlando will advance to the South Division Finals of the Kelly Cup…
SWAMP RABBITS ANSWER BACK IN GAME 2
Eberle nets game-winner; three multi-point performers shine in win BY: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, SC—Tanner Eberle broke a deadlock in a wild third period to headline the Greenville Swamp Rabbits’ Game 2 win over the Orlando Solar Bears by a 4-2 score on Monday night. The win for the Swamp Rabbits splits the series at 1-1 heading into the…
SWAMP RABBITS DROP GAME 1 in OT
Spencer Kersten ends a 72-minute game to steal Game 1 from Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – Spencer Kersten ended a marathon goalie duel to give the Orlando Solar Bears a lead in the South Division Semifinals, 1-0, over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits by a 1-0 score. Both goaltenders answered each other’s energy with game-breaking save…
SWAMP RABBITS SCHEDULE FOR SOUTH DIVISION SEMIFINALS
Swamp Rabbits and Solar Bears begin a best-of-seven series this Sunday in Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced the full schedule for the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs opening round: the South Division Semifinals against the Orlando Solar Bears. Home games are listed…