Sharks Play Admirably in 3-2 Shootout Win Over Norfolk
January 16, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Worcester Sharks News Release
NORFOLK - In what has become an intense AHL rivalry, the Sharks used goals from Torrey Mitchell and Matt Fornataro to force overtime, while Fornataro added the game-winning goal in round seven of the shootout to spring Worcester to a 3-2 win over the Norfolk Admirals on Friday evening.
Ryan Vesce and Jamie McGinn scored Worcester's other shootout goals while Justin Keller and Radek Smolenak scored for the Admirals.
Mitchell played in his first game of the season after suffering a leg injury during the preseason. On Wednesday, he was sent down from San Jose on a conditioning assignment, marking his first action in Worcester since the end of the 2006-07 season when he skated in 11 regular season games and all six playoff contests.
A turnover by Sharks goalie Thomas Greiss led to a shorthanded goal and a quick 1-0 deficit at 2:30 of the first period. Bracken Kearns was the benefactor, scoring his ninth goal of the season into an empty net after Greiss came out of the crease to play the puck.
Late in the first, Worcester killed off a full two minutes of a 5-on-3 Norfolk power play, keeping the deficit at 1-0 after one period of play.
Norfolk took a 2-0 advantage at 3:54 of the second period behind Brandon Bochenski's 13th goal of the year. His backhand shot from in between the faceoff circles deflected off the skate of Mitchell and beat Greiss five-hole. Grant Potulny and Mike Lundin were credited with the assists.
Greiss made a sensational save on Chris Gratton at the 14:40 mark and the Sharks made it count when Mitchell buried his first of the season only 35 seconds later. He took a pass from Jamie McGinn and found the open net for his first AHL goal since April 27, 2007, which was Game 5 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals at Manchester. The goal was also assisted by Lemieux.
The Sharks scored the crucial tying goal at 6:00 of the third. Vesce kept the puck in the Admirals zone and found Fortnataro, who walked in on Norfolk goalie Mike McKenna, changing from backhand to forehand before roofing the puck top shelf to make it 2-2.
NOTES: Three Stars: (3) Vesce (assist, shootout goal) (2) Kearns (1g) (1) Fornataro (game-tying goal and game-winning goal in shootout) ... Attendance for the contest was 3,901 ... Greiss saved 31 of 33 shots for the Sharks, while McKenna stopped 39 of 41 for Norfolk ... Worcester went 0/3 on the power play; Norfolk went 0/4 ... Final shots were 41-33 Worcester, the 15th straight game that the Sharks have outshot their opponent ... There was nearly a pregame scuffle as Frazer McLaren convened with Radek Smolenak and Zenon Konopka at center ice, but cooler heads prevailed...The first fight of the game came at 14:40 of the first period when Mike Moore dropped the gloves for a third straight game, this time against Bracken Kearns. Moore hit Kearns low, and Kearns retaliated with a crosscheck, starting the melee ... The second fight also involved Moore. After a big center ice hit on Chris Lawrence, Smolenak came over and instigated the bout ... Ryan Vesce's assist ups his already team-high point streak to nine games. He also has an assist in three straight games ... The Sharks have allowed a shorthanded goal in consecutive games.
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from January 16, 2009
- Houston Aeros Earn 3-2 Shootout Victory Over Toronto Marlies - Houston Aeros
- Wolves Beat Hogs 4-2 in Final Metrocentre Meeting - Rockford IceHogs
- Rivermen Edge Rampage With Last Minute Goal - Peoria Rivermen
- Griffins Fall to Moose, 6-4 - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Late Heroics Give Chops Thrilling 3-2 Win Over Flames - Iowa Chops
- Crunch Exterminate Rats - Syracuse Crunch
- Sens Put One Over on Pens, 6-4 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Bulldogs Shutout Monsters - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Rivermen Capsize Rampage 2-1 - San Antonio Rampage
- Szwez Lifts Phantoms Past Devils - Adirondack Phantoms
- Lacasse Shuts Out Monsters 4-0 - Hamilton Bulldogs
- B-Sens Outlast Penguins in High-Scoring Contest - Binghamton Senators
- Americans Overthrow Monarchy - Manchester Monarchs
- Sharks Bite Back, Top Admirals in Shootout - Norfolk Admirals
- Falcons Lose To Wolf Pack 3-1 - Springfield Falcons
- Wolf Pack Beat Flacons 3-1 - Connecticut Whale
- Moose Beat Griffins 6-4 for Top Spot in North - Manitoba Moose
- Boguniecki Scores Late as Chops Drop Flames - Abbotsford Heat
- River Rats Fall Short In Syracuse 2-1 - Albany River Rats
- Sharks Play Admirably in 3-2 Shootout Win Over Norfolk - Worcester Sharks
- Devils Held Off By Phantoms, 5-4 - Albany Devils
- Pirates Come From Behind To Beat Bruins 5-3 - Portland Pirates
- P-Bruins Fall To Pirates 5-3 - Providence Bruins
- Darren McCarty Autograph Signing Highlights Three Home Games in Four Nights - Grand Rapids Griffins
- B-Sens Loan Mitch O'Keefe to Elmira and Release Josh Aspenlind from PTO - Binghamton Senators
- Don't Miss the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic - Albany Devils
- Houston Aeros to Face Toronto Marlies, Air on Fox Sports Tonight - Houston Aeros
- Lightning Return Goaltender Karri Ramo to Admirals - Norfolk Admirals
- Admirals Celebrate Roscoe's Birthday on Sunday - Milwaukee Admirals
- Labatt's Celebrity Bartending Series Continues January 20 at Chadwick's Sports Bar and Grill - Syracuse Crunch
- Amerks Continue Road Trip In Manchester Tonight - Rochester Americans
- Win a Game-Worn Eric Weinrich Blues Jersey Saturday - Portland Pirates
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
- Rampage Reassign Gistedt to Arizona - San Antonio Rampage
- Pittsburgh Penguins Recall Janne Pesonen - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Morrison Recalled By Penguins - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Falcons sign Shane Willis to PTO contract - Springfield Falcons
- Griffins or Moose: Who's the Top Dog? - Grand Rapids Griffins
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
