Planet USA edges Canadian All Stars in record setting All Star Tilt
by neil - January 27, 2009 9:14pm
The Worcester Sharks were the hosts with the most over the highly successful AHL All star weekend which culminated last night with the highest scoring All Star game of all time before 7,245 fans at The DCU Center.
It was plain to see that Worcester was ground zero for rabid minor league hockey fans from all parts of New England the mid Atlantic states and beyond. Surveying the jerseys on fans backs and the intensity of their cheers fans from hockey hotbeds such as Philadelphia PA, Hershey PA and Rochester NY made their allegiances known. Fans of the New England teams were out in force as well with backers of the Springfield Falcons, Hartford Wolfpack, Manchester Monarchs and Providence Bruins out in force.
The loudest cheers of the weekend were reserved for the two Worcester players involved, Derek Joslin and Ryan Vesce. Joslin wowed the crowd on Sunday winning the hardest shot contest with a slap shot registering just over 98 mph.
The All Star game on Monday night was a fast paced shootout won by the Planet USA All Stars by a score of 14-11. Planet USA stormed back from an 8 to 5 deficit at the start of the 3rd period for the win scoring an unprecedented 9 goals in the final 20 minutes. The game featured 2 hat tricks, some superb goaltending by Massachusetts native Cory Schneider and the eventual game winner scored by Chris Bourque as his father Ray looked on from the crowd.
Over my two evenings watching the festivities I can freely admit that I did not hear one fan complain about anything wrong with the event or their experience here in town. Even in this down economy it seems that everyone was opening their wallets inside the DCU Center buying $6.25 beers and hot dogs and cotton candy for the kids and by the end of the night the stands that were selling Worcester 09 All Star merchandise such as pucks, hats and tshirts seemed to have their stock decimated. I hope that downtown businesses saw the uptick in business that they anticipated and that the AHL fans went back home with nothing but good things to say about our city.
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