Game Story

Worcester, MA — The Worcester Railers extended their point streak to seven games, picking up their 16th win of the season with a 4-3 victory over the Wheeling Nailers at the DCU Center on Saturday night.

Michael Bullion made his 17th appearance of the season, turning aside 29 shots to earn his seventh win, and his first on home ice since November 11, 2024. Sergei Murashov stopped 19 shots for Wheeling, suffering just his third loss of the season, with a 15-3-1 record over 20 games. Worcester’s goals came from Anthony Repaci, Riley Ginnell, and Anthony Callin, with Callin netting two of the team’s three power play goals. Wheeling’s scorers were Matt Koopman, Atley Calvert, and Chris Ortiz. Connor Welsh, Anthony Callin, and Anthony Repaci each had multi-point performances. JD Dudek extended his point streak to four games, recording an assist (1-4-5), while Callin has points in three consecutive games, contributing four on Saturday night (3-3-6).

Both teams found the net in the opening period. Worcester struck first just one minute into the game with a power play goal. Connor Welsh threaded a pass to Anthony Repaci, who fired a wrist shot from the right face-off dot, sliding the puck along the ice into the net. The Nailers’ recap notes that this was the first power play goal Wheeling had conceded on the road since November 1st, 13 straight road games. The Nailers equalized 4:39 later when Peter Laviolette collected the puck off the end wall and fed Matt Koopman at the blue line. Koopman moved into the right slot and unleashed a slap shot that sailed into the top-left corner. Railers and Nailers were tied 1-1 through twenty minutes, Wheeling had the slight edge outshooting Worcester 14-12.

In the second period, the teams continued to trade goals. The Railers regained the lead at 3:26 with the game’s first of three video reviewed goals. Anthony Callin collided with Sergei Murashov, allowing Riley Ginnell to fire a slap shot into the open net. After video review, the goal stood. The Nailers tied it again at 9:06 when Gabe Klassen sent a pinpoint pass to Atley Calvert, who tipped it in from the top-right corner of the crease during a power play. However, a penalty on the next shift gave Worcester another power play, and Callin capitalized with a wrist shot through traffic into the top-right corner. JD Dudek had put the goal in the net, and the goal was goal disallowed for goaltender interference shortly after. The Nailers were quick to respond shortly after, tying the game at 3. Chris Ortiz released a wrist shot from the center point, finding the top-left corner of the net. The game was once again tied, this time at 3 goals each, with Wheeling outshooting Worcester 14-8 in the second period.

The third period was a defensive battle, with Wheeling outshooting Worcester 4-3 in the period. One of those shots proved decisive, as Worcester’s power play came through again. Welsh set up Callin at the left face-off dot, and Callin buried a wrist shot into the top-right corner. This goal secured a 4-3 victory for the Railers.

The three stars of the game were:

  1. Anthony Callin (Worcester) – 2 goals, 2 assists
  2. Connor Welsh (Worcester) – 3 assists
  3. Anthony Repaci (Worcester) – 1 goal, 2 assists

Elsewhere in the north division on Saturday night, the Reading Royals beat the Jacksonville Icemen 2-1. The Trois-Rivieres Lions shutout the Norfolk Admirals 3-0 at the Norfolk Scope. The Maine Mariners fell 5-2 to the Fort Wayne Komets 5-2. Trois-Rivieres and Norfolk meet again on Sunday for the only other division matchup.

The Baby Isles fell 6-4 to the Springfield Thunderbirds on Saturday night. Justin Gill, Riley Piercey, Matt Kopperud, and Christian Krygier were in the lineup, but did not make the scoresheet. Henrik Tikkanen was the backup goaltender for Hunter Miska.

The Railers and Nailers close out the weekend on Sunday at 3:05 p.m.

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Box Score

Scoring 1 2 3 T
1 2 0 3
1 2 1 4
Shots 1 2 3 T
14 14 4 32
12 8 3 23

 

Score Team Time Scored by Assisted by Type
0 – 1 1:00 – 1st A. Repaci (21) C. Welsh, A. Callin PP
1 – 1 5:39 – 1st M. Koopman (6) D. Jankowski, P. Laviolette
1 – 2 3:26 – 2nd R. Ginnell (4) A. Callin, J. Dudek
2 – 2 9:06 – 2nd A. Calvert (13) G. Klassen, M. De St. Phalle PP
2 – 3 10:52 – 2nd A. Callin (10) A. Repaci, C. Welsh PP
3 – 3 17:33 – 2nd C. Ortiz (4) K. Jackson, M. Quercia
3 – 4 8:56 – 3rd A. Callin (11) C. Welsh, A. Repaci PP

Rosters

# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 1 S. Murashov 0 0 0 0 0
G 33 T. Gauthier 0 0 0 0 0
D 2 C. Cameron 0 0 -1 0 0
D 5 D. Drake 0 0 +1 0 4
D 6 R. Lieth 0 0 0 0 0
F 11 P. Laviolette 0 1 0 1 2
F 14 D. Jankowski 0 1 +1 1 0
F 16 S. Bull 0 0 0 2 0
D 17 B. Tabakin 0 0 0 1 0
D 18 C. Ortiz 1 0 +1 2 2
F 19 D. Seaman 0 0 -1 0 0
F 22 M. Quercia 0 1 +1 4 2
D 28 L. Roehl 0 0 +1 1 0
F 37 K. Jackson 0 1 +1 5 0
F 39 M. Koopman 1 0 0 4 0
F 49 L. Pietila 0 0 0 1 2
F 54 M. De St. Phalle 0 1 +1 3 0
F 64 G. Klassen 0 1 0 0 0
D 73 M. Lindgren 0 0 0 2 0
F 84 A. Calvert 1 0 0 5 0
Team:
Player MIN SH SVS GA SV%
1 S. Murashov (L) 58:20 23 19 4 0.826
Totals: 2.4305555555555658:20 23 19 4 0.826
00:00 0.000
# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 30 H. Ollas 0 0 0 0 0
G 32 M. Bullion 0 0 0 0 0
F 4 R. Mahshie 0 0 -1 2 0
F 9 R. Ginnell 1 0 0 1 0
F 10 J. Kaplan 0 0 0 1 0
F 12 K. Johnson 0 0 -1 0 0
D 14 M. Rajaniemi 0 0 +1 0 0
C 15 J. Dudek 0 1 0 0 0
F 16 G. Loughran 0 0 0 1 2
D 17 B. Rons 0 0 0 1 0
D 22 G. Luce 0 0 -1 3 0
D 24 M. Klee 0 0 -1 1 4
D 25 R. Dickinson 0 0 +1 0 0
D 26 C. Welsh 0 3 -1 1 4
D 27 C. McDonald 0 0 -1 1 0
F 29 C. Donhauser 0 0 0 2 2
F 33 L. Hatten 0 0 0 0 0
F 37 M. DeMelis 0 0 -1 0 0
F 44 A. Callin 2 2 0 7 0
F 81 A. Repaci 1 2 0 2 0
Team:
Player MIN SH SVS GA SV%
32 M. Bullion (W) – 32 29 3 –
Totals: – 32 29 3 –

Penalties

Time Team Player Mins Infraction
0:49 – 1st D. Drake 2 Holding – minor (54.2)
13:43 – 1st M. Quercia 2 Roughing – minor (51.2)
13:43 – 1st M. Klee 2 Roughing – minor (51.2)
18:04 – 1st L. Pietila 2 Hooking – minor (55.2)
19:50 – 1st M. Klee 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
4:19 – 2nd C. Donhauser 2 Interference – minor (56.2)
7:05 – 2nd D. Drake 2 Roughing – minor (51.2)
7:05 – 2nd G. Loughran 2 Unsportsmanlike conduct – minor (75.2)
7:05 – 2nd C. Welsh 4 High-sticking – double minor (60.3)
9:34 – 2nd P. Laviolette 2 High-sticking – minor (60.2)
8:37 – 3rd C. Ortiz 2 Cross-Checking Minor (59.2)

Notes

  • Worcester Scratch: Matthew Boudens.
  • Wheeling Scratches: Jack Beck, Owen Norton, and Phip Waugh.
  • Following Saturday night’s game, the Railers had the following scoring streaks and droughts:
    • Ryan Mahshie is without a point in his last four games.
    • Jordan Kaplan is without a point in his last three games.
    • Kolby Johnson is without a point in his last three games.
    • JD Dudek extended his point streak to four games with an assist. (1-4-5)
    • Griffin Loughran is without a point in his last three games.
    • Brendan Rons is without a point in his last three games.
    • Griffin Luce is without a point in his last eleven games.
    • Ryan Dickinson is without a point in his last three games.
    • Connor Welsh snapped a three-game scoring drought with three assists.
    • Anthony Callin is on a three-game point streak. (3-3-6)

 

Railers Lines

Forward Lines LW C RW
Forward Line 1 Anthony Repaci #81 Jordan Kaplan #10 Griffin Loughran #16
Forward Line 2 Riley Ginnell #9 Anthony Callin #44 JD Dudek #15
Forward Line 3 Cole Donhauser #29 Matt DeMelis #37 Ryan Mahshie #4
Forward Line 4 Brenden Rons #17 Lincoln Hatten #33 Kolby Johnson #12
Defensive Pairings LD RD
Defense Pair 1 Griffin Luce #22 Connor Welsh #26
Defense Pair 2 Matias Rajaniemi #14 Ryan Dickinson #25
Defense Pair 3 Michael Bullion #32 Mason Klee #24
Rotated Defensemen – –
Goalie Tandem G
Starting Goaltender Michael Bullion #32
Backup Goaltender Hugo Ollas #30

Nailers Lines

Forward Lines LW C RW
Forward Line 1 Matthew Quercia #22 Kyle Jackson #37 Matty De St. Phalle #54
Forward Line 2 Gabe Klassen #64 Logan Pietila #49 Atley Calvert #84
Forward Line 3 Peter Laviolette #11 David Jankowski #14 Matt Koopman #39
Forward Line 4 Shane Bull #16 Cole Cameron #2 Dakota Seaman #19
Defensive Pairings LD RD
Defense Pair 1 Chris Ortiz #18 Louie Roehl #28
Defense Pair 2 David Drake #5 Mats Lindgren #73
Defense Pair 3 Brandon Tabakin #17 Ryan Lieth #6
Rotated Defensemen – –
Goalie Tandem G
Starting Goaltender Sergei Murashov #1
Backup Goaltender Taylor Gauthier #33

On-Ice Officials

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Referee Tyler Hascall (8)
Referee Scott Allan (54)
Linesman Maxime Bedard (65)
Linesman Davids Rozitis (90)


Highlights

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Notable Tweets as the Game Happened


Railers Lines


Nailers Lines


Anthony Repaci goal


Matt Koopman goal


Michael Bullion save


Riley Ginnell goal


Atley Calvert goal


Anthony Callin goal


Chris Ortiz goal


Anthony Callin goal