Game Story


Worcester, MA — The Worcester Railers picked up a big two points in the second of back-to-back games at the DCU Center against the Newfoundland Growlers on Sunday afternoon with a final score of 4-1.

A three-goal period propelled the Railers back into a tie for first place in the north division following in their second-straight win over the Growlers this weekend. Jeff Solow replaced Christian Evers in the line-up with head coach Jordan Lavallee-Smotherman playing the same lines as Saturday night. Henrik Tikkanen picked up his first win with 33 saves after losing his last three starts and improves to a 9-4 record on the season. Nolan Vesey, Anthony Repaci, Collin Adams, and Brent Beaudoin each scored for Worcester.

Neither team scored through 20 minutes of play, with neither team capitalizing on their power play opportunities. Henrik Tikkanen made 14 stops in the period while Luke Cavallin made 9 saves against Worcester in the opening frame.

The Newfoundland Growlers opened up scoring for the second straight game with a backhand shot coming off a partial breakaway thanks to a pass from Pavel Gogolev from far down the right side at 1:06 in the second period. Nolan Vesey provided the equalizer later in the period on a breakaway of his own at 14:32. The game was tied at one through two periods, with Worcester outshooting Newfoundland 24-20.

Anthony Repaci scored the go-ahead goal at 2:17 in the third period, when he was able to put home a rebound after getting his fourth shot on goal of the game. Collin Adams gave Worcester an insurance goal, scoring on the power play at 16:38. Growlers’ head coach Eric Wellwood pulled Luke Cavallin for a two-man advantage with Myles McGurty heading to the box with under three minutes remaining on the game clock, but had no luck with the extra attacker. In what ended up being a 6v5 advantage, Brent Beaudoin scored on the empty net with two seconds to spare before the game clock expired to close out the Railers’ weekend with their second straight win.

The three stars of Sunday afternoon’s game were:

  1. Henrik Tikkanen (Worcester) – win, 33 saves, 0.971 SV%
  2. Anthony Repaci (Worcester) – game-winning goal
  3. Nolan Vesey (Worcester) – 1 goal

On Sunday, the Maine Mariners and Adirondack Thunder were the only teams playing in the north division, with the Mariners defeating the Thunder 5-2. Goaltender Francois Brassard scored on the empty net with 20 seconds remaining, making him the 14th goaltender in ECHL history to be credited with a goal. After Sunday afternoon’s game, the Railers are tied with the Growlers for first place in the division, both with 37 points.

The Railers will embark on a four-game road trip, starting with a game against the Trois-Rivieres Lions on Wednesday, and another against the Adirondack Thunder on Friday heading into the holiday break. The Railers another road 3-in-3 weekend to the DCU Center on New Year’s Eve.

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Box Score


Scoring 1 2 3 T
0 1 0 1
0 1 3 4
Shots 1 2 3 T
14 6 14 34
9 15 10 34
Score Team Time Scored by Assisted by Type
1 – 0 1:06 – 2nd N. Walker (6) P. Gogolev, M. Joyaux
1 – 1 14:32 – 2nd N. Vesey (7) L. Coughlin, Q. Ryan
1 – 2 2:17 – 3rd A. Repaci (5) B. Christensen, B. Beaudoin
1 – 3 16:38 – 3rd C. Adams (10) Q. Ryan PP
1 – 4 19:57 – 3rd B. Beaudoin (8) L. Coughlin, J. Solow EN

Rosters

# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 30 D. McKay 0 0 0 0 0
G 33 L. Cavallin 0 0 0 0 0
D 3 M. Joyaux 0 1 -2 3 0
D 5 B. Kapcheck 0 0 0 3 2
F 10 Z. O’Brien 0 0 -1 4 0
F 14 B. Budgell 0 0 0 0 0
F 15 T. Skirving 0 0 -1 5 0
F 17 B. Kruse 0 0 0 0 0
F 25 N. Walker 1 0 0 3 0
F 27 K. Suthers 0 0 -2 4 0
F 28 Z. Solow 0 0 -2 5 2
D 40 C. Martenet 0 0 0 0 2
D 41 T. Egan 0 0 -2 0 0
F 42 J. Escott 0 0 -1 1 0
D 45 M. Sredl 0 0 +1 1 2
F 46 P. Gogolev 0 1 0 3 0
F 47 J. Kaplan 0 0 -1 2 0
D 50 D. Peters 0 0 0 0 0
– – – – – – – –
Team:
Totals: 1 2 -11 34 8
Player MIN SH SVS GA SV%
33 L. Cavallin (L) – 33 30 3 –
Empty Net – 1 1 –
Totals: – 34 30 4 –
# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 35 K. Appleby 0 0 0 0 0
G 39 H. Tikkanen 0 0 0 0 0
D 2 C. McCarthy 0 0 0 0 0
F 7 L. Coughlin 0 2 +2 0 2
F 8 B. Butler 0 0 -1 1 0
D 9 N. Delmas 0 0 0 2 0
F 11 N. Vesey 1 0 +1 2 0
F 12 B. Beaudoin 1 1 +2 3 0
F 17 B. Jenkins 0 0 -1 2 0
F 18 B. Christensen 0 1 +1 1 0
F 19 Q. Ryan 0 2 +1 2 0
F 21 C. Adams 1 0 -1 4 0
D 22 J. Solow 0 1 0 1 0
F 23 J. Lambert 0 0 +1 2 0
D 25 P. Beaulieu 0 0 0 1 0
D 26 J. Brandt 0 0 +2 1 2
D 27 M. McGurty 0 0 +2 4 2
F 37 R. Newkirk 0 0 0 4 2
F 81 A. Repaci 1 0 +1 4 0
Team:
Totals: 4 7 10 34 8
Player MIN SH SVS GJ SV%
39 H. Tikkanen (W) – 34 33 1 –
– – – – – – –
Totals: – 34 33 1 –

Penalties

Time Team Player Mins Infraction
7:18 – 1st Z. Solow 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
15:24 – 1st J. Brandt 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
18:17 – 1st C. Martenet 2 High-sticking – minor (60.2)
14:41 – 2nd M. Sredl 2 Tripping – minor (57.2)
15:06 – 2nd L. Coughlin 2 Tripping – minor (57.2)
5:16 – 3rd R. Newkirk 2 Hooking – minor (55.2)
15:29 – 3rd B. Kapcheck 2 Tripping – minor (57.2)
17:36 – 3rd M. McGurty 2 Interference – minor (56.2)


Notes

  • Worcester scratches: Billy Jerry, Christian Evers, Jack Quinlivan, and Zack Bross.
  • Newfoundland scratches: Derian Plouffe, Jack Badini, James Melindy, Joe Murdaca, and Nathan Noel.
  • For the second consecutive game, the Newfoundland Growlers were short-staffed due to injuries, dressing only 16 skaters. To compensate for the lack of skaters, the Toronto Marlies recalled goaltender Keith Petruzzelli and assigned Nolan Walker on Sunday morning. Nathan Noel, who had played in the previous game, was unable to play due to an injury that required him to be assisted off the ice with a lower body injury. Walker did not play in the Marlies’ game on Saturday night in Milwaukee.
  • The Railers wore white jerseys instead of their traditional alternate orange jerseys during Sunday afternoon’s game.
  • Cousins Zach Solow and Jeff Solow played their first professional games against each other on Sunday.
  • The game-worn jersey raffle of the game was a white 2021-22 Matt Sredl (#61) jersey.
  • The Railers had the following streaks after Sunday afternoon’s game:
    • Liam Coughlin is on a four-game point streak. (1-5-6)
    • Nolan Vesey is now on a three-game point streak. (3-1-4)
    • Collin Adams is now on a three-game point streak. (2-4-6)
    • Brent Beaudoin snapped a six-game scoring drought with two points.
    • Connor McCarthy is without a point in his last seven games.
    • Jared Brandt is without a point in his last six games.
    • Jimmy Lambert snapped a three-game goal streak. (3-0-3)
    • Bobby Butler snapped a three-game point streak. (3-2-5)

Railers Lines

Forward Lines LW C RW
Forward Line 1 Reece Newkirk #37 Jimmy Lambert #23 Quinn Ryan #19
Forward Line 2 Blake Christensen #18 Brent Beaudoin #12 Anthony Repaci #81 “A”
Forward Line 3 Collin Adams #21 Blade Jenkins #17 Bobby Butler #8 “C”
Rotated Forwards Nolan Vesey #11 “A” Liam Coughlin #7 –
Defensive Pairings LD RD
Defense Pair 1 Jared Brandt #26 Myles McGurty #27
Defense Pair 2 Philip Beaulieu #25 Noah Delmas #9
Defense Pair 3 Jeff Solow #22 Connor McCarthy #2
Rotated Defensemen – –
Goalie Tandem G
Starting Goaltender Ken Appleby #35
Backup Goaltender Henrik Tikkanen #39

Opponent Lines

Forward Lines LW C RW
Forward Line 1 Todd Skirving #15 Zach Solow #28 Zach O’Brien #10
Forward Line 2 Nolan Walker #25 Brett Budgell #14 Pavel Gogolev #46
Forward Line 3 Brandon Kruse #17 Keenan Suthers #27 Jordan Kaplan #47
Rotated Forwards Jordan Escott #42 – –
Defensive Pairings LD RD
Defense Pair 1 Michael Joyaux #3 Matt Sredl #45
Defense Pair 2 Brennan Kapcheck #5 Dilan Peters #50
Defense Pair 3 Taylor Egan #41 Chris Martenet #40
Rotated Defensemen – –
Goalie Tandem G
Starting Goaltender Luke Cavallin #33
Backup Goaltender Dryden McKay #30

On-Ice Officials

– –
Referee Rocco Stachowiak (28)
Referee –
Linesman Matthew Heinen (93)
Linesman Sam Schildkraut (46)


Highlights


Notable Tweets as the Game Happened


Railers Lines


Growlers Lines


Nolan Walker goal (1-0 Railers)


Nolan Vesey goal (tied 1-1)


Anthony Repaci goal (2-1 Railers)


Tikkanen back-to-back saves


Collin Adams goal (3-1 Railers)


Brent Beaudoin goal (4-1 Railers)