Over on the 210Sports Facebook page I’ve been posting daily updates for each day in Worcester hockey history. In case people missed some, I’ll gather them at the end of each month here on the blog.
1
1997 – The Worcetser IceCats Booster Club named Jamie Rivers Player of the Month for December.
1998 – Michal Handzus named U.S. Postal Service Player of the Month for January.
2000 – Darren Rumble released from his AHL contract with the IceCats and signed as a free agent by St. Louis.
2001 – Worcester IceCats forward Brandon Sugden was “banned for life” by the ECHL after a fan was struck with a hockey stick he threw into the crowd between periods of a game on January 26th. The 22-year-old Sugden was arrested by Fairborn, Ohio, police during the third period and charged with misdemeanor assault.
2005 – The AHL suspended Worcester IceCats forward Mike Glumac one game for a check he threw on Lowell’s Mike Giordano on January 31st.
2013 – The Worcester Sharks released Denny Urban from his PTO and signed him to an SPC.
Birthdays: Mike Kitchen (1956); Bob Lachance (1974); Jeff Hogan (1978)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/01/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-1/
2
1995 – The lawsuit between Ideas Publishing of Sterling and the Worcester IceCats over the team’s logo was settled out of court. That company claimed that the IceCats approached it last spring asking that Ideas Publishing create a logo as well as help introduce and promote the new team to the public. While the IceCats paid for the company’s promotional work, the suit claimed they didn’t pay for the logo sketches. Later, the IceCats developed a logo that Ideas Publishing said was basically the one it originally presented. The suit asked for unspecified damages. Terms are confidential, as part of the settlement, but the team is allowed to retain use of the current logo.
1997 – Terry Virtue becomes the first player in Worcester IceCats history with 100 career points (28-72-100).
2007 – The Worcester Sharks Booster Club named Graham Mink Player of the Month for December
2013 – The Worcester Sharks sign Mike Brennan to a second PTO.
Birthdays: Brett Westgarth (1982); Chris Lawrence (1987)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/02/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-2/
3
2002 – The St Louis Blues loaned goaltender Reinhard Divis to Team Austria for the Olympic Games.
2019 – The Worcester Railers receive Robert Powers from the Indy Fuel in exchange for Woody Hudson.
Birthdays: Steve McLaren (1975); Dmitri Patzold (1983); Travis Oleksuk (1989); Tyler Shattock (1990); Jack Stander (1995)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/03/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-3/
4
1995 – The IceCats and Centrum management agreed to terms on a lease that will keep Worcester’s AHL team in the city for at least five years, with an option for five more. The long-term deal is essentially the same as the one the team had been using on a game-to-game basis during their inaugural season.
1998 – The St Louis Blues loan Robert Petrovicky (Slovakia) and Erich Goldmann (Germany) to their respective Olympic teams.
2003 – Chris Corrinet signed to a professional try-out contract by the Worcester IceCats.
2009 – The Worcester Sharks recorded their 100th franchise win.
2011 – Worcester Sharks goaltender Alex Stalock is injured when Manchester’s Dwight King leaped over a prone Stalock and landed on the back of his left knee with a skate blade. Stalock was out for just over a year. In the same game Sharks head coach Roy Sommer took a puck to the face. He went right down and went immediately to the trainer’s room, where athletic trainer Matt White patched him up. Sommer returned to the bench with Q-tips sticking out of his nostrils, then had a piece of tape on his nose the rest of the night.
2015 – Worcester Sharks head coach Roy Sommer wins his 600th career AHL game.
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/04/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-4/
5
1997 – The Worcester IceCats game scheduled for Saturday, March 1, at the Centrum against Hamilton has been moved to Monday, March 3, to make room for the rock group Metallica. According to the IceCats, their lease with the Centrum allows the building to reschedule a game for a major event. This is the first time the IceCats have had a home game rescheduled in their history.
2011 – Worcester Sharks goaltender Carter Hutton gets recalled to be the back-up for San Jose’s game in Boston, and then races back to Worcester to play for them in their game against Providence. The WorSharks would go on to win the game 2-0. The Worcester Sharks also signed Daren Machesney to a PTO.
2014 – The San Jose Sharks acquire Chad Rau from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Curt Gogol.
Birthdays: Dmitri Leonov (1975)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/05/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-5/
6
2013 – Adam Comrie signed to an SPC by the Worcester Sharks
Birthdays: Will Colbert (1985)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/06/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-6/
7
2012 – The Worcester Sharks released Jack Combs from his PTO and signed him to a SPC.
Birthdays: Ralph Warburton (1924); Denis Chasse (1970); Brian White (1976)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/07/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-7/
8
2011 – Worcester Sharks head coach Roy Sommer won the league’s Performance of the Month Award for January for reaching the 1,000 game mark as an AHL coach.
2012 – The AHL suspended Worcester Sharks forward James Livingston two games for boarding the IceCaps’ John Albert from behind in their game at St John’s on February 2nd. There was no penalty on the play, but the league office reviewed the videotape and made its decision.
2016 – The ECHL grants a conditional franchise to Cliff Rucker, to begin play in October 2017. It was a unanimous approval. At a press conference that day Rucker announced his first hire, President and General Manager Toby O’Brien, and the franchise’s first event, a free Fanfest at the DCU Center on April 3.
Birthdays: Tom Cole (1969)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/08/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-8/
9
2000 – The St. Louis Blues acquired Dan Keczmer from the Nashville Predators in exchange for Rory Fitzpatrick.
2002 – The Worcester IceCats Booster Club named Jeff Panzer as Player of the Month for December and Eric Nickulas Player of the Month for January.
2007 – David Daniels was named chief operating officer of the Worcester Sharks, assuming control of the team’s day-to-day operations. He joined the organization in February 2006 as vice president of sales and marketing.
2011 – The San Jose Sharks acquire Patrick Davis and Michael Swift from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Jay Leach and Steven Zalewski.
Birthdays: Dennis Packard (1982); Sean Collins (1983); Jennifer MacAskill (1996)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/09/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-9/
10
1995 – The Worcester IceCats had their first sellout in franchise history, with 12,316 attending their contest against Hershey. It marked the first time since 1972 the league broke 12,000 for a game at an AHL rink.
2011 – The Worcester Sharks sign Jonathan Cheechoo to a second PTO.
2013 – The Worcester Sharks game at Bridgeport was postponed due to snow. The Sharks first found out because Matt Irwin, who had been loaned to Worcester the day before, was waiting for the team in Bridgeport and discovered the game had been called off, although nobody on the Sharks had been told.
Birthdays: Mike Buzak (1973); Phil Osaer (1980); Justin Braun (1987)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/10/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-10/
11
1997 – The St Louis Blues acquire Chris McAlpine and a 1999 ninth-round pick (James Desmarais) from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Peter Zezel.
2008 – The San Jose Sharks acquired defenseman J.D. Forrest from the Carolina Hurricanes for future considerations.
2011 – The Worcester Sharks named defenseman Mike Moore as the new captain to replace the traded Jay Leach.
2012 – Worcester Sharks head coach Roy Sommer earned his 500th AHL victory.
Birthdays: Steve Pleau (1973); Sean Haggerty (1976); Bryce Salvador (1976)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/11/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-11/
12
1998 – Worcester IceCats Head Coach Greg Gilbert strips Terry Virtue of the captain’s “C” and named Ricard Persson as the new captain for the team.
2000 – The AHL named Worcester IceCats forward Ladislav Nagy Player of the Week.
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/12/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-12/
13
1999 – The St. Louis Blues acquire Geoff Smith and Jeff Finley from the New York Rangers in exchange for future considerations (Chris Kenady, February 22, 1999).
2000 – The Worcester IceCats Booster Club named Derek Bekar Player of the Month for January.
2019 – The Worcester Railers trade forward Woody Hudson to the Indy Fuel for defenseman Robert Powers.
Birthdays: Shaun Kane (1970); Jason Weinrich (1972); Mark Jerant (1980); Tyler Barnes (1990)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/13/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-13/
14
2005 – A delegation of Worcester city officials, including Mayor Tim Murray, go to the AHL All-Star game in Manchester, New Hampshire to promote the city and its future in the AHL. The Worcester group rented a private box at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
Birthdays: Walt Poddubny (1960); Andrei Troschinsky (1978); Justin Hamonic (1994)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/14/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-14/
15
Birthdays: Sebastien Bordeleau (1975)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/15/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-15/
16
1999 – The Worcester IceCats sign Jean-Francois Boutin to a PTO.
2004 – Don Granato became the winningest coach in Worcester IceCats history. The previous night’s victory over Philadelphia was Granato’s 146th as IceCats coach. Greg Gilbert won 145 in four full seasons in Worcester. Gilbert’s overall record was 145-121-54, a .538 winning percentage. Granato was 146-99-49 after the win, a .580 winning percentage.
Birthdays: Chris Gordon (1970); Peter Smrek (1979)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/16/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-16/
17
1999 – Worcester IceCats head coach Greg Gilbert wins his 100th contest with the team.
2004 – The Worcester IceCats sign Jake Moreland to a PTO.
Birthdays: Matt Kinch (1980); Greger Hanson (1988)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/17/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-17/
18
2020 – The Worcester Railers acquired Tyler Poulsen and Myles McGurty from the Rapid City Rush in exchange for Dante Salituro.
2019 – The ECHL named Worcester Railers netminder Evan Buitenhuis Goaltender of the Week.
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/18/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-18/
19
1995 – The AHL named Worcester IceCats goaltender Wayne Cowley Player of the Week.
1999 – The AHL suspended Worcester IceCats forward Tyson Nash for three games as a result of an incident in the Lowell game on February 17th. Nash took his hockey stick and tapped linesman Dave Butova in the butt to try and get Butova to go break up a fight between Low and Eric Cairns. Nash was suspended under Rule 76 – Abuse of Officials. The three-game suspension is a minimum under the rules.
2010 – Worcester Sharks equipment manager Vinny Ferraiuolo celebrated his 1,000th pro game as an equipment manager.
2012 – Worcester Sharks goaltender Alex Stalock makes his first AHL start in over a year after suffering a skate cut to the back of his leg on February 4, 2011.
2019 – Worcester Railers sign Ivan Chukarov.
Birthdays: Gary Leeman (1964); Allan Sirois (1975); James Marcou (1988); Derek Deblois (1991)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/19/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-19/
20
2002 – The AHL named Worcester IceCats forward Eric Boguniecki Player of the Week.
2009 – Worcester Sharks forward Ryan Vesce’s scoring streak stopped after 17 games. It is still the longest scoring streak in Worcester pro hockey history. He was 9-18-27 during the streak.
2010 – The Worcester Sharks signed goaltender Frank Doyle to a PTO.
Birthdays: Sergi Kharin (1963); Jake Moreland (1979); Nick Saracino (1992)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/20/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-20/
21
Birthdays: Denis Chalifoux (1971); Kevin Sawyer (1974)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/21/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-21/
22
Birthdays: Jim Nesich (1966); P.J. Martin (1981); Scott Mifsud (1982)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/22/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-22/
23
1999 – The Worcester IceCats named Marty Reasoner Player of the Month for January
2008 – The AHL suspended Worcester Sharks forward Riley Armstrong one game for accumulating his fourth embellishment/diving penalty of the season. He is the first player, NHL or AHL, to ever suspended for diving.
2010 – The Worcester Sharks played an exhibition street hockey game against Special Olympics floor hockey players at the Yawkey Sports Training Center, which is the new headquarters of the Special Olympics of Massachusetts. Special Olympics athletes wore jerseys with the Sharks’ logo.
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/23/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-23/
24
1999 – In what many longtime Worcester hockey fans call the worst penalty ever called in the city, referee Marc Joannette called IceCats defenseman Rory Fitzpatrick for clipping at 11:35 of the third period. The play that resulted in the call was a Fitzpatrick hip check on Rochester’s Craig Fisher in the Worcester zone. Fisher came over the blue line with his head down and Fitzpatrick flipped him a hit that went hip to hip. For many years after that check was used in “how-to” videos for legal hip checks.
2008 – In what is likely a first for professional hockey, AHL referee Nygel Pelletier called the Worcester Sharks and Springfield Falcons for matching “too many men” minors at 18:07 of the first period.
2011 – The Worcester Sharks sign Jeff Jakaitis to a PTO.
2012 – Worcester Sharks head coach Roy Sommer lost the 500th game of his AHL coaching career. Also, it was the night of the Rob Gronkowski puck spike in which the Worcester Sharks paid the $7,500 fine he incurred from the NFL for his unsportsmanlike spike in a 37-16 win over the New York Jets on Nov. 13 at Gillette Stadium. The puck, which had been cut and glued back together, “exploded” when it hit the ice.
Birthdays: Terry Hollinger (1971)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/24/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-24/
25
1999 – The Worcester IceCats released Jaroslav Obsut from his PTO and signed him to an SPC.
2009 – The Worcester Sharks Booster Club named Ryan Vesce Player of the Month for December and Mike Moore Player of the Month for January.
2011 – The Worcester Sharks sign Jody Pederson to an SPC.
Birthdays: Greg Day (1977); Brad Voth (1980); Andy Bohmbach (1987)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/25/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-25/
26
2008 – The San Jose Sharks acquire a 2008 seventh-round pick (Jason Demers) from the New York Islanders in exchange for Rob Davison.
2010 – The Worcester Sharks released goaltender Frank Doyle from his PTO and the San Jose Sharks signed him to a free-agent contract.
2018 – The Worcester Railers sign Ryan MacKinnon.
Birthdays: Brendan Buckley (1977); Marty Reasoner (1977); Shawn Mamane (1979); Jay Silvia (1989); Barclay Goodrow (1993)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/26/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-26/
27
1997 – The St Louis Blues traded IceCats Craig Johnson, Patrice Tardif, and Roman Vopat to the LA Kings in exchange for Wayne Gretzky.
2007 – The San Jose Sharks acquired a 2007 seventh-round pick (Justin Braun) from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Nolan Schaefer.
2018 – Worcester Railers broadcaster Eric Lindquist called his 1,000th pro hockey game.
2020 – The Worcester Railers claim Lincoln Griffin off waivers from the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
Birthdays: Dallas Eakins (1967)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/27/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-27/
28
1995 – Kevin Sawyer signed as a free agent by St. Louis.
2003 – Worcester IceCats defenseman Terry Virtue breaks the 1,000 penalty minute plateau with the team. He is still the only person in Worcester pro hockey history to reach that number.
2008 – The Worcester Sharks Booster Club named Graham Mink Player of the Month for January
2015 – Aaron Dell released from his SPC with Worcester and signed to a free-agent contract with the San Jose Sharks.
2020 – The Worcester Railers Booster Club named four Player of the Month Award winners: October was Kyle Thomas, November was Ross Olsson, December was Shane Walsh, and January was Nic Pierog.
Birthdays: Myles McGurty (1994)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/28/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-28/
29
2020 – The Worcester Railers signed Brennan Feasey to an ATO. He is believed to be the first Worcester pro player to arrive in town via Worcester Airport.
Birthdays: Jacob Bolton (1992); Brent Beaudoin (1996)
Games: https://210sportsblog.com/2020/02/29/today-in-worcester-hockey-history-february-29/
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