1996 vs Portland 3-2 loss (Northern Division SF, eliminated 3-1)
With the IceCats playing for their playoff lives they fell behind by two goals and couldn’t make up the deficit in a 3-2 loss to the Pirates that eliminated them from the playoffs. Sergei Tertyshny have Portland the lead at 6:37 of the first on the power play, but Jason Widmer got the goal back with a power play strike for Worcester at 11:12. Sergei Kharin and Derek Armstrong had the assists on the play. Portland retook the lead on a Jason Christie goal at 15:17. Kent Hulst made it 3-1 Pirates with a power play goal at 3:22 of the middle period. Once again the ‘Cats would answer back with a power play strike of their own as Widmer scored his second of the game at 5:38, assisted by Harry York and Craig Darby. Despite playing with an extra attacker for almost three minutes of the third period Worcester couldn’t score again, and ended up 3-2 losers. Martin Brochu made 37 saves for Portland while Jamie McLennan made 25 for Worcester.
2001 at Providence 4-2 win (New England Division F, tied 2-2)
The Worcester IceCats scored three third period goals to defeat the Providence Bruins 4-2. Terry Hollinger got the Baby-Bs on the board with the only goal of the opening period at 9:52. Mike Peluso got the ‘Cats back to even with a power play marker at 2:53 of the second period with assists going to Pascal Rheaume and Sebastien Bordeleau. Marquis Mathieu then gave Providence its lead back at 1:44. In the third period Mark Rycroft tied the game with a power play goal at 1:03. Justin Papineau and Jeff Panzer assisted on the play. Papineau then gave the ‘cats the lead with an unassisted shorthanded goal at 4:45. Rheaume added an unassisted empty net goal at 18:55 for the 4-2 final. Dwayne Roloson made 35 saves for the win.
2007 at Manchester 4-1 win (Atlantic Division SF, trail 3-2)
(MONARCHS) Goaltender Dimitri Patzold held the Manchester Monarchs to one goal as the Worcester Sharks took a 4-1 victory in game five in front of 4,679 fans at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Friday night. Manchester leads the 2007 Calder Cup Atlantic Division Semifinal Series A 3-2 with game six on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at the DCU Center. After a scoreless first period, defenseman Justin Kurtz pulled the Sharks ahead by scoring a power-play goal at 3:24 of the second frame. Center Mike Iggulden took the initial shot that was saved by Monarchs netminder Jason LaBarbera. The puck bounced to the stick of right wing Graham Mink on the left doorstep who passed the puck to Kurtz at the center point. Kurtz released a shot beating LaBarbera stick side for the 1-0 lead. With a minute remaining in the second period, Mink took the puck across center ice and passed it to right wing Ashton Rome who carried the puck into the Monarchs zone and blasted a shot on LaBarbera. The puck bounced off the inner leg of LaBarbera and scooted into the back of the net. The Sharks took a 2-0 lead into the locker room with the remaining minute of play postponed until the third period due to broken glass. Defenseman Garret Stafford dumped the puck into the Monarchs zone while the Sharks skated on the power play. The puck took an odd bounce off the glass sending it back in front of LaBarbera. Left wing Lukas Kaspar controlled the puck and passed it over to right wing Grant Stevenson charging in on the right post. Stevenson lifted the puck over LaBarbera’s glove side putting the Sharks up 3-0 with 18:48 remaining in the final stanza. The Monarchs got on the board at 12:44 in the third period to bring the score to 3-1. Left wing Noah Clarke and center Brian Boyle were behind the Sharks net fighting for control of the puck. The puck was jammed out of the crowd of players and found right wing John Zeiler behind the left post. As he rounded the front of the net, he dropped to his knees and put the puck between the legs of Patzold for the Monarchs lone goal. On the power play, Worcester increased their lead back to three. Center Riley Armstrong passed the puck to Kurtz who was at the left point. Kurtz found center Torrey Mitchell at the top of the left face-off circle. Mitchell took the shot sending the puck past the left pad of LaBarbera at 15:21 to bring the game to 4-1. LaBarbera took the loss with 24 saves on 28 shots. Patzold earned the victory with 14 saves. Manchester went 0-for-6 with the man advantage. Worcester was 3-for-9 on the power play.
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