Game Story

Worcester, MA — The Worcester Railers closed out the 3-in-3 weekend with a 2-1 victory over the Norfolk Admirals on Saturday night, 2-1.

Both head coaches chose to stick with the same starting goaltenders from Friday night. Michael Bullion secured his 13th win of the season, stopping 26 of Norfolk’s 27 shots. It was another near-shutout performance for Bullion, who has yet to record one this season — this marks his third game allowing just a single goal. Thomas Millic returned to the net for Norfolk, making 25 saves. Matt DeMelis and Anthony Callin provided the scoring for Worcester, while Sean Montgomery netted Norfolk’s lone goal, which came shorthanded. This was the Railers’ first and only regulation win over the Admirals this season.

In the first period, Matt DeMelis took a pass from Tyler Kobryn and fired it past Milic’s blocker for his eighth goal of the season. The Railers held a slight 11-10 shot advantage over the Admirals after the opening frame.

Norfolk pressed hard in the offensive zone early in the second period but couldn’t find a way to beat Bullion. Anthony Callin scored the only goal of the period, giving the Railers a 2-0 lead heading into the second intermission. Just like the first period, Worcester held an 11-10 edge in shots.

Sean Montgomery cut the deficit to 2-1 with his 13th goal of the season in the third, scoring Norfolk’s fifth shorthanded goal of the year. Despite heavy pressure in the closing minutes, the Admirals pulled their goalie with 48 seconds remaining but couldn’t break through, and the Railers held on for the 2-1 win.

The Three Stars of the Game were:

1. Michael Bullion (Worcester) – win, 27 saves, 0.964 SV%
2. Anthony Callin (Worcester) – 1 goal
3. Matt DeMelis (Worcester) – 1 goal, +1

The Maine Mariners beat the Adirondack Thunder 5-4 in overtime at the Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls later on Saturday night. The Reading Royals beat the Trois-Rivieres Lions 2-1 at the Santander Arena. The Wheeling Nailers lost to the Fort Wayne Komets at the WesBanco Arena, 5-3. With another two points added to the tally, the Railers still have sole possession of fourth place in the North Division. Reading still has two games in hands and are two points back. The Wheeling Nailers are the only North Division team playing on Sunday, while all seven are in action next Friday.

The Bridgeport Islanders fell 6-1 to the Belleville Senators 6-1 on Saturday night. Henrik Tikkanen stopped 30 shots. Cam McDonald picked up his first AHL point with the primary assist on the Islanders’ lone goal. Daylan Kueffler, Justin Gill, and Jack Randl also dressed for Bridgeport. Bridgeport does not play again until next Saturday, when they’ll host the Springfield Thunderbirds at 5 p.m.

The Railers head to Portland on Friday to face the Maine Mariners at 7:15 p.m., before heading back to Worcester to host the Trois-Rivieres Lions on Saturday and Sunday.

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Box Score

Scoring	1	2	3	T
	0	0	1	1
	1	1	0	2

Shots	1	2	3	T
	10	10	8	28
	11	11	5	27

Score	Team	Time	Scored by	Assisted by	Type
0 – 1		9:56 – 1st	M. DeMelis (8)	T. Kobryn, A. Repaci
0 – 2		15:49 – 2nd	A. Callin (19)	M. Kopperud, G. Loughran
1 – 2		8:28 – 3rd	S. Montgomery (13)		SH

Rosters

	#	Player	G	A	+/-	SH	PIM
G	32	T. Milic	0	0	0	0	0
G	37	K. Stead	0	0	0	0	0
D	2	D. Louis-Jean	0	0	+1	1	0
D	4	C. Musser	0	0	-1	2	0
F	5	T. Andrew	0	0	0	1	0
D	7	N. Kelly	0	0	-1	2	0
F	9	G. Sargis	0	0	0	0	0
F	10	F. Fornåå Svensson	0	0	0	4	0
F	11	A. Bakanov	0	0	-2	2	0
F	13	K. Iverson	0	0	0	0	0
D	15	G. Sward	0	0	-1	2	2
F	16	M. Reifenberger	0	0	0	2	0
F	18	T. Spitserov	0	0	0	1	0
F	19	S. Montgomery	1	0	+1	2	0
D	23	J. McDougall	0	0	0	2	0
F	25	B. Osmundson	0	0	+1	1	0
F	28	G. Yavash	0	0	-1	1	0
D	44	B. Zloty	0	0	0	1	0
F	93	G. Hebert	0	0	-1	1	2
F	94	B. Fleurent	0	0	-2	3	0
		Team:

	Player	MIN	SH	SVS	GA	SV%
32	T. Milic (L)	–	27	25	2	–
	Totals:	–	27	25	2	–

	#	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	0	0	0
D	8	P. Walton	0	0	0	1	0
F	10	J. Kaplan	0	0	-1	1	0
F	13	T. Kobryn	0	1	+1	2	0
D	14	M. Rajaniemi	0	0	+1	0	0
C	15	J. Dudek	0	0	-1	0	0
F	16	G. Loughran	0	1	+1	4	6
F	18	M. Kopperud	0	1	+1	2	0
F	19	R. Piercey	0	0	0	1	0
D	22	G. Luce	0	0	+1	0	0
D	24	M. Klee	0	0	+1	1	0
D	25	R. Dickinson	0	0	+1	1	0
D	26	C. Welsh	0	0	-1	2	0
F	29	C. Donhauser	0	0	0	2	0
F	33	L. Hatten	0	0	0	1	2
F	37	M. DeMelis	1	0	+1	5	0
F	44	A. Callin	1	0	0	3	0
F	81	A. Repaci	0	1	0	1	0
		Team:

	Player	MIN	SH	SVS	GJ	SV%
32	M. Bullion (W)	–	28	27	1	–
	Totals:	–	28	27	1	–

Penalties

Time	Team	Player	Mins	Infraction
11:08 – 1st		G. Loughran	2	Slashing – minor (61.2)
16:43 – 1st		G. Hebert	2	High-sticking – minor (60.2)
6:38 – 2nd		G. Loughran	2	Slashing – minor (61.2)
10:53 – 2nd		L. Hatten	2	Slashing – minor (61.2)
5:30 – 3rd		G. Loughran	2	Slashing – minor (61.2)
8:17 – 3rd		G. Sward	2	Tripping – minor (57.2)

Notes

• Worcester Scratches: Alec Cicero, Anthony Hora, Kabore Dunn, Kolby Johnson, Matt Ustaski, Riley Ginnell, and Tanner Schachle.
• Norfolk Scratches: Brandon Yeamans, Connor Fedorek, Denis Smirnov, Jaden Shields, Justin Young, Pavel Padakin, and Stepan Timofeyev.
• Following Saturday Night’s game, the Railers had the following scoring streaks and droughts:
  • Ryan Mahshie is without a point in his last 4 games.
  • Matias Rajaniemi is without a point in his last 11 games.
  • JD Dudek is without a point in his last 4 games.
  • Matthew Kopperud is without a point in his last 3 games.
  • Mason Klee is without a point in his last 4 games.
  • Ryan Dickinson is without a point in his last 13 games.
  • Lincoln Hatten is without a point in his last 6 games.
  • Matt DeMelis snapped his point drought after 3 games.
  • Anthony Callin is now on a 3-game point streak with a goal. (2-2-4)
  • Anthony Repaci is now on a 3-game point streak with an assist. (1-4-5)

Railers Lines

Opponent Lines

On-Ice Officials

Highlights

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Notable Tweets as the Game Happened