Greiss makes 36 saves, Sharks top Falcons in shootout

WORCESTER 2, SPRINGFIELD 1 (SO)
Thomas Greiss stopped 36 shots through regulation and overtime, and Worcester came away with a 2-1 shootout win over Springfield in a Veterans Day matinee at the DCU Center. Captain Graham Mink and rookie Nate Raduns netted shootout goals for the Sharks, and Greiss denied all four attempts by the Falcons. The second-year goaltender moved to 6-2-0 on the season.

The game remained scoreless through the first two periods and the first half of the third stanza. Worcester’s Dan Spang finally broke the deadlock with his first goal of the season at 11:10, with assists going to Dennis Packard and Mike Iggulden.

Iggulden now has a point in four straight games (3-4-7) and in 11 of 12 games overall this season (8-9-17).

Worcester seemed poised for a 1-0 victory, but the Falcons’ Sebastien Bisaillon tallied the equalizer with just five seconds remaining in regulation. Bisaillon’s first goal of the campaign was assisted by Marc Pouliot and T.J. Kemp.

The teams played a scoreless overtime, with the Falcons recording the only two shots on goal by either side in the extra session.

In the shootout, each team’s first two shooters were denied, as was Springfield’s Liam Reddox on the Falcons’ third attempt.

The Sharks’ Mink solved Springfield goaltender Jeff Deslauriers on the home team’s third try, giving Worcester the advantage.

After Greiss denied Pouliot on the Falcons’ fourth attempt, Raduns beat Deslauriers to seal the Worcester victory.

Deslauriers finished with 24 saves on 25 shots.

The Sharks increased their season record to 7-4-1-0, while the Falcons earned a standings point with the shootout loss and moved to 7-5-0-3.