Game Story

Norfolk, VA — The Worcester Railers dropped the first game of their three-game series against the Norfolk Admirals, falling 3-1 on Wednesday night.

Since our last post on Woo Hockey, the Railers entered Wednesday’s match-up with a 2-2 record. Last Friday, they secured their first win of the season in a 4-3 overtime thriller, with Matt Kopperud netting the game-winner with 31 seconds remaining. On Sunday, the Railers traveled to Portland and dominated the Mariners 4-0, thanks to a stellar 31-save performance from Henrik Tikkanen in his season debut, and a 3-point performance (1g, 2A) by Justin Gill.

Tikkanen made his second consecutive start on Wednesday, recording 20 saves. Norfolk countered with Dante Giannuzzi in net, who stopped all but one of Worcester’s 15 shots. Riley Piercey extended his point streak to four games with a goal (2-2-4), while Matt Kopperud stretched his own streak to three games by assisting on Piercey’s goal (2-2-4). Norfolk’s goals came from Josh McDougall, Denis Smirnov, and Brandon Osmundson. For the second consecutive game, the Railers dressed 17 skaters.

Neither team managed to score in the first period, though Norfolk held the advantage, outshooting Worcester 14-5. Norfolk eventually broke through at 12:45 of the second period on a power play, with Matt Kopperud in the box for slashing, ending Tikkanen’s shutout streak at 92:45. Worcester struggled to generate offense and was once again outshot by Norfolk, 6-5.

Following a slashing penalty on Justin Gill and a diving call on Stepan Timofeyev, the game moved to 4-on-4. The Railers scored midway through the third period, as Riley Piercey drove down on a rush and tied the game at 1 with a shot at 9:24. Just two minutes later, the Admirals regained the lead when Denis Smirnov scored from the slot off a well-placed pass by Stepan Timofeyev, putting Norfolk up 2-1. With 2:06 left in regulation, Henrik Tikkanen was pulled for an extra attacker, but less than a minute later, Brandon Osmundson secured Norfolk’s win with an empty-net goal. Worcester managed just five shots again in the third period, Norfolk had three in which they scored twice.

The three stars of Wednesday’s game were:

  1. Denis Smirnov (Norfolk) – game-winning goal
  2. Josh McDougall (Norfolk) – goal
  3. Henrik Tikkanen (Worcester) – 20 saves

Railers and Admirals pick things up Friday for Game 2 of this 3-game stand. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring 1 2 3 T
0 0 1 1
0 1 2 3
Shots 1 2 3 T
5 5 5 15
14 6 3 23
Score Team Time Scored by Assisted by Type
0 – 1 12:45 – 2nd J. McDougall (1) J. Young, K. Nault PP
1 – 1 9:24 – 3rd R. Piercey (2) M. Kopperud, C. Welsh
1 – 2 11:38 – 3rd D. Smirnov (2) P. Padakin, S. Timofeyev
1 – 3 18:48 – 3rd B. Osmundson (2) B. Fleurent, D. Louis-Jean EN

Rosters

# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 32 M. Bullion 0 0 0 0 0
G 39 H. Tikkanen 0 0 0 0 0
D 3 R. Verrier 0 0 0 0 0
F 7 J. Gill 0 0 0 0 2
F 10 J. Kaplan 0 0 -2 1 0
F 11 J. Randl 0 0 0 0 0
F 13 A. Bakanov 0 0 -1 0 0
D 14 M. Rajaniemi 0 0 0 1 0
F 18 M. Kopperud 0 1 0 3 2
F 19 R. Piercey 1 0 0 2 0
D 22 G. Luce 0 0 0 2 0
C 23 C. Jacobs 0 0 0 1 2
D 24 M. Klee 0 0 -2 0 0
D 26 C. Welsh 0 1 +1 1 0
D 27 C. McDonald 0 0 -1 0 0
F 29 C. Donhauser 0 0 -1 1 0
F 33 L. Hatten 0 0 0 1 0
F 55 C. Crowder 0 0 0 0 0
F 81 A. Repaci 0 0 -1 2 0
Team:
Player MIN SH SVS GA SV%
39 H. Tikkanen (L) – 22 20 2 –
Empty Net – 1 1 –
Totals: – 23 20 3 –
# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 1 M. Suyderhoud 0 0 0 0 0
G 31 D. Giannuzzi 0 0 0 0 0
D 2 D. Louis-Jean 0 1 0 2 0
D 4 C. Musser 0 0 0 1 0
F 8 D. Smirnov 1 0 +1 1 0
F 11 K. Nault 0 1 0 0 0
F 12 P. Padakin 0 1 +1 1 0
F 13 K. Iverson 0 0 0 1 2
D 14 C. Fedorek 0 0 +2 0 2
F 16 M. Reifenberger 0 0 0 1 0
F 19 S. Montgomery 0 0 0 1 0
F 20 R. Chyzowski 0 0 0 0 0
F 21 J. Young 0 1 0 2 0
F 22 S. Timofeyev 0 1 +2 3 2
D 23 J. McDougall 1 0 0 1 0
F 24 C. Golder 0 0 -1 2 0
F 25 B. Osmundson 1 0 0 4 0
D 27 LA Grissom 0 0 0 0 0
F 74 S. Shin 0 0 0 1 0
F 94 B. Fleurent 0 1 +1 2 0
Team:
Player MIN SH SVS GJ SV%
31 D. Giannuzzi (W) – 15 14 1 –
Totals: – 15 14 1 –

Penalties

Time Team Player Mins Infraction
1:30 – 2nd K. Iverson 2 Hooking – minor (55.2)
4:28 – 2nd C. Fedorek 2 Roughing – minor (51.2)
11:03 – 2nd M. Kopperud 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
3:55 – 3rd C. Jacobs 2 Hooking – minor (55.2)
7:53 – 3rd J. Gill 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
7:53 – 3rd S. Timofeyev 2 Diving/Embellishment (64.2)

Notes

  • Worcester scratches: Anthony Callin, Griffin Loughran, JD Dudek, John Muse, Matt DeMelis, and Ryan Dickinson.
  • Norfolk scratches: German Yavash, Graham Sward, Kristian Stead, Lord-Anthony Grissom, Nathan Kelly, and Spencer Kennedy.
  • There were a notable amount of stoppages in play for dislodged nets during this game. The Norfolk Scope is notorious for its ice issues, word from the broadcast is the holes holding the pegs in for the nets are not drilled very deep.
  • Per the Railers broadcast, Griffin Loughran and Ryan Dickinson could be activated from injured reserve as early as Friday night’s game. More roster moves will be needed if either are activated.
  • The Railers had the following scoring streaks:
    • Ryan Verrier is without a point in his last five games.
    • Jordan Kaplan is without a point in his last four games.
    • Andrei Bakanov is without a point in his last four games.
    • Matt Kopperud is now on a three-game point streak. (2-2-4)
    • Riley Piercey extended his point streak to four games. (2-2-4)
    • Cam McDonald’s point streak ended after three games (0-4-4)
    • Cole Crowder is without a point in his last three games.
    • Anthony Repaci’s point streak ended after three games. (1-2-3)
  • For up-to-date news on all things Worcester Hockey, Like us on Facebook at Woo Hockey – Worcester Hockey News, Follow us on Twitter @WooHockeyNews, and join our Facebook Group – Worcester Railers Fan Club.

Railers Lines

Forward Lines LW C RW
Forward Line 1 Riley Piercey #19 Colin Jacobs #23 Anthony Repaci #81
Forward Line 2 Jack Randl #11 Matthew Kopperud #18 Justin Gill #7
Forward Line 3 Andrei Bakanov #13 Jordan Kaplan #10 Cole Donhauser #29
Forward Line 4 Cole Crowder #55 – Lincoln Hatten #33
Defensive Pairings LD RD
Defense Pair 1 Griffin Luce #22 Connor Welsh #26
Defense Pair 2 Cam McDonald #27 Mason Klee #24
Defense Pair 3 Matias Rajaniemi #14 Ryan Verrier #3
Rotated Defensemen – –
Goalie Tandem G
Starting Goaltender Henrik Tikkanen #39
Backup Goaltender Michael Bullion #32

Opponent Lines

Forward Lines LW C RW
Forward Line 1 Stepan Timofeyev #22 Denis Smirnov #8 Brady Fleurent #94
Forward Line 2 Carson Golder #24 Brandon Osmundson #25 Sanghoon Shin #74
Forward Line 3 Ryan Chyzowski #20 Sean Montgomery #19 Justin Young #21
Forward Line 4 Kamerin Nault #11 Marko Reifenberger #16 Keegan Iverson #13
Defensive Pairings LD RD
Defense Pair 1 Carson Musser #4 Josh McDougall #23
Defense Pair 2 Darick Louis-Jean #2 Connor Fedorek #14
Defense Pair 3 Pavel Padakin #12 (Played Forward) Lord-Anthony Grissom #27
Rotated Defensemen – –
Goalie Tandem G
Starting Goaltender
Backup Goaltender

On-Ice Officials

– –
Referee Logan Gruhl (29)
Referee –
Linesman Joseph Johnson (78)
Linesman Evan Knox (83)

Highlights

 

 

Notable Tweets as the Game Happened


Railers Lines

https://twitter.com/NorfolkAdmirals/status/1851753448976646295
Admirals Lines


Josh McDougall goal


Riley Piercey goal


Denis Smirnov goal


Brandon Osmundson goal