Worcester Sharks Are Last Team Standing

Published on October 31, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Worcester Sharks News Release


Shark Snap Shot:

The Worcester Sharks chomped three out of a possible four points last week highlighted by a come from behind 3-2 overtime victory over the Sound Tigers in Bridgeport on Friday. The Sharks grabbed a point in a 3-2 shootout loss at home to the CT Whale to close out the weekend as the only AHL team remaining without a regulation loss (4-0-0-2). The Worcester Sharks player of the week nominee is defenseman Matt Irwin as he scored his third goal of the season, added one assist, was +2, and fired six shots on goal in the two games. Worcester continues their season long six game home stand with two games this week vs. the visiting St. John's Ice Caps.

Top 3... Last Week!

#1 Harri Sateri made 33 saves and was #2 star in a 3-2 overtime victory in Bridgeport on Friday.

#2 Sean Sullivan scored the overtime game winner with 38 seconds remaining and was #1 star in 3-2 OTW at Bridgeport on Friday.

#3 Cam MacIntyre scores his first goal of the season and was #2 star in 3-2 shootout loss to the Whale on Saturday!

Last Week: (1-0-0-1) 3pts, 2gp

Fri. 10/28 OTW Worcester SHARKS 3 @ Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2

Sat. 10/29 SOL Connecticut Whale 3 @ Worcester SHARKS 2

This week:

Tue. 11/1 St. John's Ice Caps @ Worcester SHARKS - 7:00pm

Sat. 11/5 St. John's Ice Caps @ Worcester SHARKS - 7:00pm

Rewind the Tape:

10.28.11 - Worcester 3 - Bridgeport 2 - OTW - Webster Bank Arena

Rookie Mike Connolly extended the game with a third period tally and Sean Sullivan won it in overtime with just 38 seconds remaining as the Sharks defeated the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 3-2, at the Webster Bank Arena on Friday night. Mike Moore scored a shorthanded goal and Harri Sateri made 33 saves to win his second straight start for Worcester as the Sharks improved to 4-0-0-1 this season.

10.29.11 - Worcester 2 - Connecticut 3 - SOL - DCU Center Cam MacIntyre and Matt Irwin scored third period goals for Worcester but the Sharks fell in the shootout, 3-2, to the visiting Connecticut Whale at a wintery DCU Center on Saturday night. Mike Connolly extended his point streak to five games with as assist (5-5-10) and Tyson Sexsmith made27 saves for Worcester as the Sharks extended their point streak to six games with the shootout loss (4-0-0-2).

Sharks in the Atlantic: The Sharks are swimming in 3rd place with 10 points (4-0-0-2) in the Atlantic Division through six games, which is three points behind the first place St. John's Ice Caps (10gp) and one point behind the Providence Bruins (11gp). The Sharks have a two point edge over the Manchester Monarchs (11gp) and a four point advantage over the 5th place Portland Pirates (9gp) to round out a very choppy Atlantic Division.

Coaching Milestones....

400 WINS!....With the 4-1 victory vs. Springfield on November 1, 2009, head coach Roy Sommer became just the 4th coach in AHL history to reach the 400 win plateau.

500 WINS!.... Coach Roy Sommer is just 18 wins away from 500 in his AHL coaching career.

1000 GAMES... With the 3-1 victory at Springfield on January 14, 2011, head coach Roy Sommer became just the 4th coach in AHL history to reach the 1,000 games plateau.

AHL COACHING WINS - ALL-TIME

1. Fred "Bun" Cook 1937-56 19seasons 1,171GP 636 WINS

2. Frank Mathers 1956-85 18seasons 1,256GP 610 WINS

3. John Paddock 1981-2010 16seasons 1,125GP 589 WINS

4. Roy Sommer 1998-current 14seasons 1,046GP 482 WINS

Worcester Sharks Head Coach Roy Sommer, who plays a major role in developing players for the San Jose Sharks, is currently the longest-tenured coach (14th season) in the American Hockey League. His current regular season record is now: 482-433 -48 -44 -39. (W-L-T-OTL-SOL)

In Coach Sommer's first AHL victory.... The Kentucky Thoroughblades defeated the Albany River Rats 6-4 at the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky on October 17th 1998. Coincidentally, Assistant Coach David Cunniff recorded an assist as a member of the River Rats in the hockey game.

Assistant Coach David Cunniff has joined Coach Sommer in 328 of the 482 victories (68%).

Shark Bites:

Captains for the 2011-12 season: Mike Moore was named the Sharks 4th captain in team history on Feb 11, 2011 and was named captain again before the start of the 2011-12 season. Alternate captains for this season: veteran forward Ben Guite and forward John McCarthy.

From east to west..... The Worcester Sharks have had 2 players (2 call-ups) receive at least one call up this season to San Jose... Currently; Andrew Desjardins, Benn Ferriero, Justin Braun, Jamie McGinn, Logan Couture, Jason Demers, Joe Pavelski, Marc-Edourd Vlasic, Frazer McLaren, and Doug Murray are all former Worcester Sharks that are currently playing with the San Jose Sharks.

Nice Win Percentage... the Sharks have the best winning percentage in the entire AHL (.833) and are the only team without a loss in regulation.

Great Start.... The Sharks are 4-0-0-2 to start the season for the best record in franchise history. The Sharks opened the season 4-0-0-0 in 2007-08 but eventually did not make the playoffs.

Outstanding October!... The Sharks finished the month of October 4-0-0-2 and outscored their opponents 22-13!

Games'... The Sharks have played the fewest amount of games in the AHL (6gp), while four teams have already played 11 games already this season.

Great Start and Finish... Worcester is out scoring their opponents 7-2 in the first period and 10-5 in the third period.

Leaders among us... Mike Connolly ranks 4th in the AHL among rookies with 10 points (5-5-10), 4th in rookie goals (5), and 2nd in rookie +/- (+7)... Curt Gogol leads all AHL rookies with 28 penalty minutes... Tyson Sexsmith is 1st in the AHL with a 1.69GAA and Harri Sateri is 5th with a 1.89GAA... Sateri is also 4th in the AHL in save percentage at .935%... Matt Irwin and Sean Sullivan lead all AHL defensemen with two game winning goals each... Matt Irwin is 8th in the AHL defensemen scoring race with six points (3-3-6), leads the AHL d-men with three goals, and is 1st in shooting percentage at 21.4%.

Score first... the Sharks have scored FIRST 5 times in 6 games last season (4-0-0-1); Curt Gogol 2,Benn Ferriero 1, Nathan Moon 1, Mike Moore 1.

First goal of the season goes to... Curt Gogol scored the first Worcester Sharks goal of the season on Sunday at Providence, joining: Mathieu Darche in 2006, Graham Mink in 2007, Cory Larose in 2008, Andrew Desjardins in 2009, and Jonathan Cheechoo in 2010.

First Pro Goals this season... Curt Gogol (Oct 9 @ PRO vs. Khudobin), James Livingston (Oct15 vs. ALB vs. Frazee), Mike Connolly (Oct15 vs. ALB vs. Frazee) and Nathan Moon (Oct 21 @ Providence vs. Khudobin)

100 AHL goals.... Veteran Ben Guite scored his first goal as a member of the Worcester Sharks in a 6-1 win over the Devils on October 15. The goal turned out to be his 100th AHL goal in his career. Ben also has 19 NHL goals in 175 career NHL games.

Starting Goalies... Tyson Sexsmith allowed just one goal on 21 shots on Sunday in Providence to become the first goaltender to allow less than two goals in a Sharks opener. Dimitri Patzold 3GA in 2006, Thomas Greiss 2GA in 2007, Thomas Greiss 5GA in 2008, Alex Stalock 2GA in 2009, and Alex Stalock 5GA in 2010.

Great first impression... Curt Gogol became just the 5th Sharks player to score in his professional debut joining Joe Pavelski, Nate Raduns, Tony Lucia, and Cam MacIntyre. (Thanks Bill Ballou, Worcester TG)

We like Providence... Worcester is 9-4-0-1 in their last 14 meetings at the Dunkin Donuts Center.

Sharks in the Atlantic... the Sharks had a 29-20-4-7 record against Atlantic Division prey this season and are 2-0-0-1 in the division this season.

Streakers!... Mike Connolly has a five game point streak (5-5-10), Matt Irwin a three game point streak (2-1-3), Sean Sullivan has a three game point streak (1-2-3), John McCarthy a two game point streak (0-2-2), Tommy Wingels a two game point streak (0-0-2), and Harri Sateri has won two straight starts (2-0-0).

Team Streakers... the Sharks have a six game point streak (4-0-0-2) and have at least one fight in six straight games (9 FM).

Good when leading... the Sharks are 3-0-0-1 when leading after the 1st period of play and 2-0-0-1 when leading after the 2nd period of play this season.

5 National Champions... The Sharks have five players that have won the NCAA Division 1 Championship.... Mike Connolly was co-captain for Minnesota-Duluth in 2011, John McCarthy was co-captain for Boston University in 2009... Benn Ferriero (currently in SJ) and Nick Petrecki with Boston College in 2008... and Ben Guite with Maine in 1999.

Young Guns... the Sharks have dressed ten rookies already this season. (Curt Gogol, Nathan Moon, Brodie Reid, James Livingston, Mike Connolly, Taylor Doherty, Tyson Sexsmith, Harri Sateri, Sena Acolatse, and Tony Lucia)

Super Sunday... the Sharks went 14-4-0-2 on Sunday afternoon games in 2010-11 and are 1-0-0-0 on Sundays this season.

I'll take a draft... Eight Worcester Sharks players were drafted by the San Jose Sharks. (Braun, Doherty, Lucia, McCarthy, Petrecki, Sateri, Sexsmith, and Viedensky,)

NHL Experience.... The Sharks have eight players with NHL experience totaling 335 games led by veteran Ben Guite with 175... breakdown of the rest... John McCarthy 41, Mike Moore 6, Benn Ferriero 59, Matt Pelech 5, Justin Braun 29, Brandon Mashinter 13, and Tommy Wingels 8.

Heard it from Ballou.... The Sharks are 7-1-1-1 in their last nine games when Jamie Koharski is the lone referee.

Like Father, Like Son... Rookie Curt Gogol leads the Sharks with 26 penalty minutes through six games... his father Brent racked up 892 penalty minutes in 157 professional games in the IHL, CHL, EHL, and the AHL including 380 pims in 1978-79 in 57 games with the Flint Generals.

Five for fighting...The Sharks have nine fighting majors this season good for 9th in the AHL... Six different players dropped the mitts this season for the Sharks this season: (Jimmy Bonneau 1, Curt Gogol 2, Nick Petrecki 1, Cam MacIntyre 2, Nathan Moon 2, and Brandon Mashinter 1)... The Sharks had 81 fighting majors last season, 73 fighting majors in 2009-10, 78 fighting majors in 2008-09, 68 fighting majors in 2007-08 and 54 in 2006-07.

Season by the numbers...

Record: 4-0-0-2, 10 points - 3rd in Atlantic

Win percentage: .833% - 1st in AHL

Home Record: 2-0-0-1

Away Record: 2-0-0-1

Attendance: 12,803 through three games at DCU Center 4,268 average) - 19th in AHL

Goals Scored: 22, 3.67 goals per game, 5th in AHL

Goals Allowed: 13, 2.17 goals against per game, 2nd in AHL

Shots per game: 33.50 - 3rd in AHL

Shots allowed per game: 27.33 - 7th in AHL

Score 1st: 4-0-0-1 when scoring first (.900 win %)

1 goal games: 1-0-0-2 in one goal games

PP: 26.7%, 5th in AHL (8-30)

PK: 89.3%, 2nd in AHL (3-28)

SHG - 1 shorthanded goals scored

SHGA - 0 shorthanded goals allowed

PIMS - 23.00 penalty minutes per game, 1st in AHL

Fighting Majors: 9 - 12th in AHL

OT Games - 3 - (1-0 record in OT)

SO Games - 2 - (0-2 record in SO)

Roster Players - the Sharks have used 24 players this season

Goalies - the Sharks have used 2 goaltenders this season

Players receiving call-ups to San Jose - 2 (Braun and Ferriero)

NHL debuts - 0 Worcester players made their NHL debuts this season

Call-ups to San Jose - 2 different call-ups to San Jose this season

Coming and goings from the Shark Tank:

No transactions this week.

Top Worcester Sharks:

o Goals Connolly (5)

o Game Winners Matt Irwin and Sean Sullivan (2)

o Assists Connolly (5)

o Points Connolly (5-5-10)

o Power play Points Irwin (3-1-4) and Connolly (1-3-4)

o Shots Livingston (19 shots)

o PIM Gogol (26)

o Fighting Pen. Gogol, Moon, MacIntyre (2)

o Plus/Minus Connolly (+7)

o Wins Sexsmith and Sateri (2)

o G.A.A. Sexsmith (1.69)

o Save % Sateri (.935)

o Shutouts N/A

Sharks in the Pacific:

The San Jose Sharks are 6-3-0 with 12 points through 9 games and currently four points behind the first place Dallas Stars with two games in hand. The Sharks have won five straight games on their six game road trip which ends Monday at Madison Square Garden. Former Worcester Shark Logan Couture is riding a five game point streak while Justin Braun and Benn Ferriero have each contributed for San Jose during the east coast swing.

Week ahead:

Mon., Oct 31 at 7pm at NY Rangers

Thu., Nov 3 at 10:30pm vs. Pittsburgh

Sat., Nov 5 at 10:30pm vs. Nashville

Sharks in the ECHL:

The Stockton Thunder are 2-3-0-1 in six games this season with five points. Worcester Sharks training camp invites, Gabriel Levesque, leads the Thunder with seven points (3-4-7) in five games and Ian O'Connor with five points (3-2-5) through four games to lead the way offensively for the Thunder. Thomas Heemskerk is 2-0-0 with a 3.50GAA and a .887 save %.

Week Ahead:

Fri., Nov. 4 at 10:30pm vs. Utah

Sat., Nov. 5 at 10:30pm vs. Utah

Coming Up:

The Sharks continue their season long six game home stand with two games this week vs. the St. John's Ice Caps.

On Tuesday, celebrate Halloween with the Sharks and enjoy family friendly trick-or-treating in the concourse and participate in the annual costume parade on the ice during the intermission! Tickets for trick-or-treaters are FREE with a purchase of an adult ticket on Tuesday, November 1st with a 7pm puck drop vs. the Ice Caps!

The Sharks host St. John's again on Saturday at 7pm with the first 2,000 fans receiving a free Brandon Mashinter autographed card! Yes, "Mash" signed all 2,000 cards himself!

Spook yourself into buying a family fun pack today for only $74! Four tickets, four hot dogs, and four sodas for a portion of the price! Available only through the Sharks front office for every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday games this season!

Starting now, the Sharks are offering groups to partake in a Sharks hockey experience with many interactive activities; including friends and family skates on the DCU Center ice before or after a game, the high FIN tunnel (high-fiving players as they take the ice), singing the National Anthem, intermission performances, and more.

Marina Riva, Jonathan Forsberg, Jason Jones, Chris Curtis, and Kristyn Galante are ready to take your orders and answer your questions today! Jump in today and save up to 35% off box office prices! Some of the exclusive benefits for full season ticket holders will include:

Guaranteed same seat for all 38 home dates and playoff home games at the DCU Center

Priority access to purchase tickets to other DCU Center events (subject to availability)

Seven FREE friends and family vouchers

Exclusive events with Sharks players

Merchandise discounts and much, much, more!

Season ticket packages and group tickets for the 2011-12 season are on sale now by contacting the Worcester Sharks Office at 508.929.0500 or by crashing the net at www.SharksAHL.com.

All games can be heard live on 580AM and 94.9FM WTAG, as well as online through AHL Live, by following the link on the Sharks website at www.SharksAHL.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from October 31, 2011


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