Sharks Make Vassals out of Monarchs

Published on December 20, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Worcester Sharks News Release


WORCESTER - Friday night's snowed out game against Portland marked the second time this season that a would-be three-in-three weekend for the Worcester Sharks has been nullified by unusual circumstances. Worcester responded to the blackout postponement on November 15th by winning five games in a row, and took the first step toward repeating that feat on Saturday.

Ryan Vesce and Corey Larose both registered three point nights as the Sharks handily defeated the Manchester Monarchs by a 3-1 score at the DCU Center. The win, coupled with Hartford's loss, moves Worcester back into a tie for third place in the Atlantic Division.

Manchester had the best scoring chance of the early going, with right wing David Meckler testing netminder Thomas Greiss from short range following an odd man rush five minutes into the game. Greiss lunged to his left, getting a piece of the puck at full extension and drawing a whistle from referee Ryan Fraser as he lay with the puck pinned underneath him along the goal line. The Sharks prepared for a faceoff while Manchester celebrated what they believed was the game's first goal. A discussion amongst the officials vindicated Greiss, and the game continued scoreless.

The tie held for another five minutes, when Worcester broke through with a shorthanded tally. Crisp passing from Ryan Vesce and Cory Larose split the Manchester defense, and Brendan Buckley slid the puck far post to beat Monarchs goaltender Jonathan Bernier at 10:31. The goal was Buckley's first of the year through 19 games played.

Worcester fed off the momentum, and both Larose and Vesce had a hand in extending the Sharks lead on their next offensive chance. An initial shot from Larose got blocked in front of the net, and Vesce crashed the rebound from the opposite slot, turned and went top shelf on Bernier to earn Worcester a 2-0 lead heading into the locker room.

Less than two minutes into the middle frame, a centering feed from Vesce found Larose open behind a poorly positioned Bernier. After his first try was blocked by the body of Manchester defenseman Joe Piskula, Larose touched the puck into a wide open net to notch his team leading 13th goal of the season and the third point of the night for both players.

Things quieted down substantially through the remainder of the period and halfway into the third, until Manchester capitalized on a delay of game penalty against Lukas Kaspar. Rookie center Tyler Mosienko found linemate Bud Holloway just outside the crease, and Holloway one-timed the puck past Greiss to narrow the margin to 3-1. Another apparent Manchester goal nearly pulled the visitors back within one, but Fraser blew the play dead as the puck sat to the right of Greiss, shielded from view, prior to Paul Crosty's tip-in. Greiss held fast for the duration, stopping 20 of 21 shots overall.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 20, 2008


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