WORCESTER 3, HARTFORD 1
A night after scoring five times in the third period of a 6-0 victory, Worcester picked up where it left off with three first-period tallies en route to a 3-1 road triumph over Hartford on Thursday in Game 5 of their Atlantic Division semifinal. Defenseman Patrick Traverse had two goals and an assist for the Sharks.
Worcester has climbed out of a two-game deficit to claim a 3-2 series lead and can advance to the division finals for the first time in team history with a home-ice win over the Wolf Pack on Saturday.
Traverse netted his first two goals of the playoffs for the Sharks, both coming on the power play at 5:56 and 13:50 of the opening stanza. Riley Armstrong and Dan DaSilva earned helpers on his first marker, and the second came unassisted.
In between, Traverse picked up the lone assist on a goal by Worcester forward T.J. Fox at the 7:15 mark.
The Wolf Pack finally got on the board when Dane Byers potted a power play marker at 13:33 of the third period, their first goal in 169:39 worth of hockey. Hartford has been outscored 15-5 since taking a 3-0 lead in Game 2 last Saturday.
Making his 21st consecutive start in net, Sharks goaltender Thomas Greiss stopped 27 of 28 shots in the winning effort.
