1999 vs Providence 5-3 win (New England Division SF, trail 2-1)
The Worcester IceCats needed a win to stave off elimination from the Calder Cup playoffs, and Marty Reasoner and Tyson Nash made sure that happened with two goals each in the ‘Cats 5-3 over the Baby-Bs. Nash got Worcester on the board first with a power play goal at 8:36 of the opening period, assisted by defensemen Bryce Salvador and Rory Fitzpatrick. “Mr IceCats” Terry Virtue, playing for Providence that season, tied it for the Baby-Bs at 11:16. Nash would strike again at 12:41, assisted by Ladislav Nagy and Jeremiah McCarthy, to make it 2-1 after 20 minutes. Just 14 seconds into the middle frame Nagy would score, from Nash, to make it a two goal lead. Reasoner would then make it 4-1 at 2:55, with Jochen Hecht and McCarthy getting the helpers. Randy Robitaille got another for Providence at 9:28 of the frame, and Antti Laaksonen made it 4-3 with a goal at 4:42 of the third. Reasoner gave the ‘Cats some breathing room with a power play goal at 10:31. Brent Johnson, who made 36 saves in the win, had the lone assist on the goal.
2000 at Hartford 2-0 loss (New England Division F, eliminated 4-1)
(TICKER) Jean-Francois Labbe stopped 22 shots and Derek Armstrong scored twice as the Hartford Wolf Pack blanked the Worcester IceCats, 2-0, to win their best-of-seven playoff series, four games to one. Labbe made 18 saves over the final two periods to post his first shutout of the playoffs and improve his post-season record to 7-2. Armstrong scored a shorthanded goal with 1:42 left in the first period and doubled Hartford’s lead with a second-period tally. Brent Johnson stopped 33 shots for Worcester, which could not capitalize on five power-play opportunities.
2001 at Providence 1-0 loss (New England Division F, tied 3-3)
(TICKER) John Grahame recorded his second shutout of the playoffs as the Providence Bruins beat the Worcester IceCats, 1-0, to tie their semifinal series at three games apiece. Grahame, who had dropped his last three decisions, turned away all 35 shots he faced to improve his postseason record to 6-5. Marquis Mathieu scored the game’s lone goal with 3:34 remaining in the opening period for Providence, which will travel to Worcester for Game Seven on Tuesday. Dwayne Roloson surrendered a goal on 17 shots for the loss.
2004 at Hartford 3-1 loss (Atlantic Division F, trail 1-0)
The Worcester IceCats never recovered from the Wolf Pack’s first period onslaught and fell in game one of their Atlantic Division Finals series against Hartford 3-1. Jed Ortmeyer scored for the Wolf Pack at 14:26 of the first period, where the ‘cats were outshot 14-4. Jozef Balej’s unassisted shorthanded goal at 8:56 of the middle stanza made it 2-0. Mike Glumac cut the lead in half with a goal assisted by Peter Sejna and Jay McClement at 16:27 of the third, but Jed Ortmeyer would add an empty netter with five second left in the game to ice the contest. Curtis Sanford made 20 saves before leaving the game after Balej’s goal with an injury. He was replaced by Jake Moreland, who went a perfect nine for nine.
2010 at Manchester 5-0 loss (Atlantic Division F, trail 2-1)
(WORSHARKS) Worcester surrendered three power-play goals and could not beat Jonathan Bernier as they dropped game three of the Atlantic Division Finals to Manchester, 5-0 at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Friday night. The Sharks now trail the best-of-seven series, two games to one. Alex Stalock stopped 31 shots in the losing effort and kept Worcester in the game early as the Sharks never received a power play in the game. The Sharks were whistled for 45 penalty minutes and the Monarchs just four in a game that saw Manchester have eight power play chances. The Monarchs took advantage of an early penalty against Steven Zalewski to hop in front for the third consecutive game. At the 2:24 mark, Bud Holloway centered a pass that was redirected past Stalock by Gabe Gauthier (1) to give Manchester an early 1-0 lead. The rest of the period was all Manchester as they pinned Worcester deep in their own zone for much of the period, but Stalock was strong and kept the deficit at one. Manchester outshot Worcester, 20-7. Trevor Lewis (4) extended Manchester’s lead to 2-0 on the power play, 1:57 into the second period, when he was left all alone in the slot and wristed one past Stalock. The Monarchs went right back on the power play and they capitalized again at the 2:47 mark as it was Lewis (5) once again banging home a rebound this time to give Manchester a 3-0 lead. They teams went into the second intermission with Manchester ahead by three. The Sharks held the shot advantage, 8-7. Manchester tallied again in the third period as David Meckler (1) walked in uncontested at the 6:36 mark and snapped one past Stalock to give the Monarchs a 4-0 lead. Corey Elkins (3) finished the scoring for Manchester as the Sharks dropped game three 5-0. There were two scrums to finish out the contest to set the tone for game four.
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