Complementing Gordon's outstanding work in net was IceCat left wing Cal McGowan, who scored both of the Cat's goals and moved up to the 6th spot on the IceCats scoring list with 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points. In the past three home games, McGowan has scored 4 goals, boosting his own record and assuming a key role in the Worcester offense.
Most of the action in this game did not involve goal scoring, and the first period was no exception. A total of eight penalties were called, including a high-sticking major and two fighting majors.
IceCat left wing John Carter, who has been having trouble staying in games lately, was given a game misconduct in conjunction with his negligent high-sticking major, and was forced to leave the ice only 5:52 into the game.
"I'm lucky I don't get paid by the hour around here!," Carter commented good-naturedly after the game.
Lucky, also, that his teammates did such a great job of killing off his penalty, which, combined with another high-sticking minor 20 seconds later, left the IceCats at a serious disadvantage for the first half of the period.
The second period seemed like it was going to be a repeat of the first, with no scoring and eight more penalties called. With only 1:03 left on the clock, however, McGowan scored, rebounding the puck past Pruin goalie John Blue as he fell to the ice. McGowan wasn't done either and, 40 seconds later, he gave the IceCats a 2-0 lead when he sunk another rebound past Blue with a beautiful slapshot. Both goals where assisted by Worcester defenseman Jason Widmer, with defenseman Roy Mitchell and center Jim Nesich adding assists as well.
In the third period, the IceCats fought hard to hold on to the lead, but couldn't quite keep the Bruins from breaking Gordon's dreams of a shutout. About halfway through the period, Providence right wing Sandy Moger beat Gordon for the first and only time in the game with a screened slapshot from the point. After that, however, Worcester's net was closed for business, and at the end of the period the score remained 2-1 in favor of the IceCats.
One of the best scoring opportunities in the third actually went, once again, to Cal McGowan. Late in the period, the puck was cleared out of the IceCats zone and McGowan took off down the left boards on a 2 on 1. As he sped into the Bruins end, he unleashed a killer slapshot that could quite easily have secured him a hat-trick if not for a great save by Blue. The hat-trick would have been especially satisfying for McGowan since his father, traveling all the way from British Columbia, Canada to see his son play, has been in the crowd for the last few games.
Two goals was enough, however, to secure McGowan the vote for the #1 star of the game, with Gordon and Widmer earning stars #2 and #3, respectively.
The victory brought the IceCats overall record up to 20-42-11 and prevented Providence from clinching a winning record for the season versus Worcester. The IceCats play next in Providence on Sunday (the 26th), and will play the Bruins two more times after that, including their last home game on Wednesday, April 5th.