Wolf Pack win over Sharks

February 20, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Connecticut Whale News Release


Hartford, CT - Dale Weise scored two goals, including his AHL-leading fifth shorthanded tally, and Matt Zaba made 31 saves, to lead the Hartford Wolf Pack to a 4-2 win over the Worcester Sharks Saturday night at the XL Center.

The Sharks had won four consecutive games to vault into a five-point lead in the Atlantic Division. Meanwhile, the Wolf Pack had lost five in a row in regulation, tying a franchise record, to fall to seventh in the division and four points out of a playoff spot.

But one goal by Derek Couture and Weise's pair, the second shorthanded, started the Wolf Pack on their way to their fourth victory in as many tries against the Sharks this season.

Zaba, making his first start since a 5-1 victory at Norfolk Feb. 6, was on the verge of his first shutout of the season until former Wolf Pack center Dwight Helminen and Corey Quirk scored in the final 2:28.

Weise said recent talks with Gernander and general manager Jim Schoenfeld helped get him out of a funk in which he had scored only one goal in his previous 13 games.

"I've been struggling a little bit offensively, like the whole team has," Weise said after scoring his 17th and 18th goals. "I think I'm one of our guys who can really produce every night, and I hadn't been, which is frustrating. I had a few meetings with Schoney and G on what I can do more, and I have to shoot the puck more because I have a good shot. I actually met with Schoney (Saturday) morning, and he told me to be ready to shoot the puck."

After Zaba and the Sharks' Alex Stalock (19 saves) traded stellar glove saves in the opening 2:52, Couture gave the Wolf Pack (26-25-3-3) the lead for good when he converted Paul Crowder's quick pass off Jared Nightingale's shot from the right point at 5:41.

Just 41 seconds later, Brodie Dupont passed from behind the net to Weise, who broke in alone down the slot and beat Stalock cleanly.

Then with the Sharks (35-17-2-2) on their first power play, Ilkka Heikkinen tipped the puck from Mike Moore to Weise in the Wolf Pack zone. Weise skated down right wing on a 2-on-1 with Dupont and beat Stalock low to the far corner at 9:13 for his 18th goal of the season.

Moments later, Nightingale broke in alone, but Stalock kept it a 3-0 game.

The Sharks nearly got to within two goals at 3:22 of the second period, but Steven Zalewski's shot off a scramble hit the post. Then after Zaba made an alert stop on Jason Demers during the Sharks' third power play, Weise nearly completed a hat trick with the Wolf Pack on man advantage, but Stalock dove across the crease to stop Weise's bid from low in the left circle at 8:10.

It appeared as if the Wolf Pack might lose Heikkinen, when Andrew Desjardins' clearing attempt ricocheted off a stanchion and the plexiglass before hitting one of the Wolf Pack's top defensemen in the face with 1:27 left in the period. But he returned for the start of the third period.

Weise again nearly completed his hat trick during a power play at 5:12, but Stalock flicked out his right pad. Then with the Sharks on a power play, Zaba denied Dan DaSilva cruising down the slot at 10:37 and Danny Groulx hit the post seven seconds later.

All-Star center Corey Locke made it 4-0 when he picked off Derek Joslin's backhanded clearing attempt along the boards and beat Stalock low to the glove side, for his team-leading 23rd goal with 7:32 left.

Zaba kept his shutout intact with his best save of the game, denying Kevin Henderson as the left wing broke in alone down the slot with 3:35 to go. But moments later, Helminen took a pass from DaSilva and beat Zaba high to the glove side with 2:28 left, then Quirk converted John McCarthy's pass in the slot with 36.9 seconds to go.

But the Wolf Pack's victory song, "Sweet Caroline," echoed through the XL Center for the first time since a 3-2 overtime win over Manchester Jan. 22, as they ended a six-game losing streak at home . It was the Wolf Pack's 300th home victory in franchise history (300(W)-149(L)-32(T)-15(OTL)-11(SOL)).

"We had a good start, which was pretty important, but I thought we played a pretty solid game until the last few minutes," Wolf Pack coach Ken Gernander said. "I thought we came closer to being more committed (Friday) night (in a 4-2 loss to Bridgeport), but the execution was little better and things came together a little better tonight.

"We had a lot of chances (Friday) night that didn't go in, but tonight they go in, so now you feel like you've got a little extra. And Zaba was very clutch. He played a big game for us."

Weise said the win lifted a big weight off the Wolf Pack, who visit Bridgeport Sunday at 3 p.m.

"When you've lost five in a row, especially in the way we did (being outscored 31-14), it's obviously upsetting and frustrating," Weise said. "I thought we played well against a pretty good team leading our division that had strung together some wins against good teams. It's big for our confidence to know we can hang in a game against one of the best teams in the league, but it's a matter of consistency with our team.

"At the beginning of the season, we were winning one and losing one, so now we have to have the same effort (today) because we're chasing Bridgeport (a 1-0 loser to Abbotsford Saturday night)."



American Hockey League Stories from February 20, 2010


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