HARTRFORD, Conn – It appears Matt Zaba is human after all. Albeit for a period.
In Hartford, on Saturday night the young rookie netminder for the Wolfpack backstopped Hartford to a convincing 5-3 win and 2-0 series lead over the Worcester Sharks. Zaba stopped 41 of 44 shots on the evening.
Centerman Mike Ouellette picked up the game-winner at 2:23 of the third on an even strength goal. It was his first of the post season.
The Wolfpack broke out on top in the first and led 3-0 after twenty minutes of play. Artem Anisimov got the puck rolling in the first with his second of the series. Jordan Owens followed with his first and Bobby Sanguinetti added his first.
The second period was nearly the undoing of Zaba and the Pack. The Sharks roared out of the intermission and netted three unanswered goals to know the game at three after 40 minutes.
Brendan Buckley got the first goal for the Sharks in the post season and Andrew Desjardins and Riley Armstrong (powerplay) contributed to the scoring.
The problem for Worcester was that they forgot to play 60 minutes of hockey. Ouellette’s goal in the third gave Zaba the breathing room and confidence to finish the game as he stoned the Sharks throughout the third.
The Sharks came flying in the first in launching 22 shots on goal but came away empty. By the time the third period came along neither team had a cohesive or threatening offense as each managed just six shots on goal.
The series now heads to Worcester where the Sharks need to solve the Zaba issue that faces.
The question for Worcester is how to penetrate the Wolfpack defense and then score on the rookie sensation. If they cannot do that their season will end quickly.
Contact lou.lafrado@prohockeynews.com
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