Sharks Battle Past Wolf Pack In A Nasty Affair

Published on October 31, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Connecticut Whale News Release


HARTFORD-Thank goodness for a pane of glass. That was all that would separate the two benches in a brawl-filled third period that featured the involvement of both coaching staffs as the Sharks defeated the Hartford Wolf Pack 4-2 at the XL Center on Halloween night.

Hartford got on the board early as P.A. Parenteau found the back of the net on the Wolf Pack's first shot at 1:10 of the first period. The puck was fired from 45 feet on the right wing side past Thomas Greiss. After the Sharks could not score on three straight power play chances, Tom Cavanagh found himself on a shorthanded rush down the right wing side after blocking a shot in the Sharks zone and fired a backhand shot past Miika Wiikman at 16:52. It was the first goal of the season for Cavanagh and the Sharks first shorthanded goal of the season.

Sharks defenseman Mike Moore took out Hartford's Brian Fahey with a clean open ice check at center ice. Fahey left and would not return, but the Wolf Pack would not forget. The Sharks outshot the Wolf Pack 12-10 after twenty minutes tied at one.

The Sharks would fall behind again, after Parenteau scored his second of the game at 4:23 of the second period. Riley Armstrong would tie the game at 13:35 after a Kyle McLaren slap shot missed the net and carried back in front of the crease off the end wall and slipped in by Armstrong for his second of the season. Derek Joslin would score on the next shift, as Ryan Vesce provided a nice screen in front of Wiikman at 14:19 and the Sharks went into the second intermission with a 3-2 lead outshooting the Wolf Pack 25-13.

The third period was a wild one as the Wolf Pack spent most of the period in the penalty box. After a heavy open ice hit by Cory Larose on Hartford's Bobby Sanguinetti, Vladimir Denisov attacked Larose and was assessed 27 minutes of penalties and the Sharks were awarded a seven minute power play and a two man advantage. The Sharks would strike as Tom Cavanagh added insurance with his second of the game at 11:46.

The final 8:14 of the third would not go without incident as both coaching staffs had to be separated by the linesmen and referee at 16:52. Head Coach Roy Sommer and Hartford Assistant Coach Pat Boller met between the two benches separated by a thin pane of glass and Brandon Sugden through a water bottle at the Sharks coach and missed. Sugden would receive a misconduct at 16:52. At the final buzzer, fists went flying again as Frazer McLaren and Brett Westgarth fought Justin Soryal and Brodie Dupont. After the fights, the linesman had to hold back both benches as the finger pointing and jousting continued.

The two teams play again Saturday night in Hartford.

Thomas Greiss was excellent in net for the Sharks making 20 saves in net. The win was the first for the Sharks in three tries on the road as Worcester improved their record to 3-4-0-0. Hartford drops to 4-4-0-1.

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American Hockey League Stories from October 31, 2008


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