The Worcester Sharks develop and encourage excellence on the ice, with eight players already moving up to play for the NHL affiliate San Jose this season. Standing out and making plays when everyone is watching displays excellence, but what is done outside of the rink – when few are watching – is what cultivates it. Since their establishment in Worcester four years ago, the Sharks have been dedicated to making their community a better place.

The jealousy was mild and passed quickly, Jeremy Williams said. On July 1, Williams was a little envious that his buddy and former Toronto Marlies teammate Kris Newbury had signed a deal with the Detroit Red Wings. A day or two later, Williams was over it. What happened? The Red Wings signed Williams, too. The signings didn't start out to be a package deal, but the pair's production in Grand Rapids shows why it was a sly move to keep them together.

In this week's AHL Conference Notebooks, find out which team won on a Saturday for the first time all season, which team got back-to-back shutouts from a goaltender for the first time in nearly five years, which player is just three points shy of his total from last season, which team scored more than one regulation goal for the first time since Oct. 24, which player has a point in four straight games since returning from injury, which team's last four wins have come by one goal, and much more. Click for notes from all 29 AHL teams.