Thomas Greiss Shines In Worcester Sharks Loss To Providence In Game 2, 4-2

WORCESTER, MA    After a week long hiatus since Game 1, due to scheduling conflicts at each team's home rink, the Sharks and Bruins clashed for Game 2 of the Atlantic Division Finals at the DCU Center Wednesday night.

Despite a solid performance from goaltender Thomas Greiss and a 3rd period spark from Dan DaSilva, Worcester would fall by a score of 4-2 and trail the best-of-seven series 2-0.
 
The lamps remained dark through a high tempo 1st period of physical hockey until Providence captain Martin St. Pierre put the Bruins up 1-0 with his 3rd goal of the playoffs. Brad Marchand snuck a crossing pass from the corner to St. Pierre which allowed him to score with :57 seconds left in the frame on a wrist shot that beat the blocker of Greiss.
 
Riley Armstrong netted his 1st goal of the playoffs with an equalizer for the Sharks at 3:42 in the 2nd period. Logan Couture battled for the puck behind the Providence net and fed Armstrong in front for the bang-bang score past Providence net minder Tuukka Rask.

However, the Bruins would re-gain the lead :19 seconds into a 5-on-3 power play advantage as Johnny Boychuk wound up and fired a missile from the right faceoff circle to the back of the Worcester net at 6:36 to go up 2-1.
 
Greiss would fend off many Bruin scoring arrangements in the 2nd including a stop on a 2-man rush by Peter Schaefer and Brad Marchand as the Sharks were outshot 14-6 in the middle frame.
 
Providence kept the pressure on the Worcester defense in the 3rd stanza and Kirk MacDonald found an opening between the pads of Greiss to extend the Bruin lead to 3-1 at 5:15.
 
The Sharks would not go quietly in the 3rd as Dan DaSilva sniped the inside of the crossbar to bring Worcester back within a goal at 11:31. The goal would ignite Worcester but Wacey Rabbit would score on an open net to ice the 4-2 Bruins victory.
 
Fists flew with :13 seconds left in the game when members from both squads exchanged blows throughout the ice. As a result Brendan Buckley, Brett Westgarth, and Frazer McLaren received penalties for Worcester while Andrew Bodnarchuk, Martin St. Pierre, and Kirk MacDonald were whistled for Providence.
 
NOTES:  Three Stars: (3) Thomas Greiss (2) Tuukka Rask (1) Martin St. Pierre…Attendance was announced 1,419… Thomas Greiss made 29 saves in net for Worcester… Tuukka Rask made 22 saves in net for Providence … The Sharks went 0/1 on the power play while the Bruins went 1/3… Thomas Greiss made his 24th straight start in net… …Dan DaSilva had a goal and is riding a 5 game point streak (3, 5)…

Playoff tickets may purchased by visiting the box office, contacting the Worcester Sharks front office at 508.929.0500 or by crashing the net at www.SharksAHL.com.

To purchase season tickets for next season, call Tim Wegner at 508-929-0500. Call today for Special 2009 Playoff Ticket Offers. Wanna Go?
 
All games can be heard live on 580AM and 94.9FM WTAG, as well as online through AHL Live, by following the link on the Sharks website at www.SharksAHL.com.

The previous story was excerpted from a press release by the Worcester Sharks media office. Todd Civin is a Bleacher Report correspondent who covers the Boston Red Sox, The Boston Breakers of the WPS and the Worcester Sharks of the AHL. He can be reached with comments or story ideas at [e-mail]