Game Story

Worcester MA — Henrik Tikkanen and the Worcester Railers picked up their first shutout of the season in a 7-0 victory over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits Saturday night.

Though truly no such thing as a perfect game, the Railers came pretty close Saturday night. There were seven different goal scorers – Jimmy Lambert, Bobby Butler, Connor McCarthy, Brent Beaudoin, Blade Jenkins, Nolan Vesey, and Quinn Ryan each producing goals for Worcester. Connor McCarthy, Nolan Vesey, Brent Beaudoin, Blade Jenkins, Jimmy Lambert, and Reece Newkirk each had multi-point nights. Railers were 1-for-3 on the power play, though at no point was scoring an issue. Jimmy Lambert extended his point streak to eight games. Henrik Tikkanen recorded his first career shutout on 41 saves against Greenville. Railers had 30 shots on goal against both Greenville goaltenders, Michael McNiven and David Hrenak.

Railers were on the board at 4:21 as Jimmy Lambert scored on a 1-on-2 with the puck going five-hole past netminder David Hrenak and two Greenville defenders. Bobby Butler scored his fifth of the season after cycling the puck a few times behind the net with Reece Newkirk finding the net glove-side. Connor McCarthy made it 3-0, for his first point since April 10, snapping a 12-game cold streak. Railers held a 3-0 lead through the opening 20 minutes, shots 12-9 Worcester. It was the third time this season the Railers had scored three or more in the opening frame.

Another three goals were scored in the second period. Brent Beaudoin bounced the puck off the stick of Greenville’s Bobby Russell at 7:19. Blade Jenkins made it 5-0 with a shot over the pads of Michael McNiven two minutes later. Justin Nachbaur lost his cool at the 10:59 mark with a couple of cheap shots to the head of Jared Brandt as he was heading to the bench for a line change. Nachbaur received a ten-minute misconduct and a double minor for roughing as the interaction continued with several Railers players on the bench. Brandt went down the tunnel after this incident and did not return to the game. Nolan Vesey scored on Worcester’s four-minute power play with a one-timer from the right circle at 13:27.

The Railers made just five shots on goal in the third period, while collecting their seventh goal of the night. That came at the 16:37 mark with Quinn Ryan scoring on an open net. Jimmy Lambert was speared by Swamp Rabbit Bobby Russell at the 13:53 mark of the third period (the video is included in the highlight video at the 3:50 mark) which went unpenalized. The play stopped as Lambert was helped off the ice and did not return to the game. Reece Newkirk then fought Bobby Russell on the next shift at 15:46 for the last bit of action of note to end the night.

The three stars of Saturday’s game were:

  1. Henrik Tikkanen (Worcester) – shutout win, 41 saves
  2. Blade Jenkins (Worcester) – 1 goal, 2 assists
  3. Brent Beaudoin (Worcester) – 1 goal, 1 assist

Worcester and Greenvile’s game was one of three shutouts in the ECHL and they all came within the North Division. Maine shut out Newfoundland to give the Growlers their first regulation loss of the season, 2-0, killing a 13-game point streak. Trois-Rivières shutout Norfolk 5-0. Reading and Adirondack both had the night off, and are the only teams in the division playing on Sunday. Railers trail the Growlers with a single point out of the first spot in the ECHL.

The action continues into Thanksgiving week with the Railers heading on the road for seven games beginning with three against Norfolk on Thanksgiving eve and the days following Thanksgiving. They’ll hit Newfoundland for another three the following weekend and a quick stop in Trois Rivières the following Wednesday before returning to the DCU Center on December 9.

Box Score

Scoring 1 2 3 T
0 0 0 0
3 3 1 7
Shots 1 2 3 T
9 14 18 41
12 13 5 30

Score Team Time Scored by Assisted by Type
0 – 1 4:21 – 1st J. Lambert (5) R. Newkirk
0 – 2 12:43 – 1st B. Butler (5) R. Newkirk
0 – 3 16:19 – 1st C. McCarthy (1) Q. Ryan, B. Jenkins
0 – 4 7:19 – 2nd B. Beaudoin (6) N. Delmas, J. Lambert
0 – 5 9:07 – 2nd B. Jenkins (6) C. Adams, C. McCarthy
0 – 6 13:27 – 2nd N. Vesey (3) B. Christensen, B. Jenkins PP
0 – 7 16:37 – 3rd Q. Ryan (4) N. Vesey, B. Beaudoin

Rosters

# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 1 M. McNiven 0 0 0 0 0
G 34 D. Hrenak 0 0 0 0 0
D 5 T. Inamoto 0 0 -2 2 0
F 9 B. Kemp 0 0 -2 8 0
D 10 M. Martin 0 0 -1 3 0
F 14 A. Ierullo 0 0 -2 2 0
F 15 N. Pavlychev 0 0 -4 3 0
F 16 E. Somoza 0 0 -1 2 0
F 18 C. Souch 0 0 -3 2 0
D 21 B. Russell 0 0 -3 1 5
D 22 E. Cap 0 0 -1 2 0
F 23 B. McManus 0 0 -2 0 0
F 24 B. Freeman 0 0 0 1 2
F 25 C. Zieky 0 0 0 2 0
F 27 A. Beauchamp 0 0 -1 1 0
F 29 J. Nachbaur 0 0 -2 0 14
D 37 J. Gatenby 0 0 -3 3 0
F 41 A. MacDonald 0 0 -1 5 0
D 43 F. Hora 0 0 -2 4 0
Team:
Totals: 0 0 -30 41 21
Player MIN SH SVS GA SV%
34 D. Hrenak (L) – 11 8 3 –
1 M. McNiven – 19 15 4 –
Totals: – 30 23 7 –

# 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 1 1 +2 2 0
F 7 L. Coughlin 0 0 0 0 0
F 8 B. Butler 1 0 +2 3 0
D 9 N. Delmas 0 1 +3 3 2
F 11 N. Vesey 1 1 +1 1 0
F 12 B. Beaudoin 1 1 +2 4 0
D 15 C. Evers 0 0 +3 0 0
F 17 B. Jenkins 1 2 +2 1 0
F 18 B. Christensen 0 1 +2 2 0
F 19 Q. Ryan 1 1 +3 4 0
F 21 C. Adams 0 1 +1 2 0
D 22 J. Solow 0 0 +2 2 0
F 23 J. Lambert 1 1 +3 3 4
D 26 J. Brandt 0 0 +1 0 2
D 27 M. McGurty 0 0 +1 0 0
F 29 Z. Bross 0 0 0 0 2
F 37 R. Newkirk 0 2 +2 3 5
Team:
Totals: 7 12 30 30 15
Player MIN SH SVS GJ SV%
39 H. Tikkanen (W) – 41 41 0 –
Totals: – 41 41 0 –


Penalties

Time Team Player Mins Infraction
8:58 – 1st B. Freeman 2 Interference on the Goalkeeper – minor (69.2)
19:40 – 1st J. Lambert 2 High-sticking – minor (60.2)
0:06 – 2nd J. Brandt 2 Delay of Game (63.2)
10:27 – 2nd J. Nachbaur 4 Double Minor – Roughing
10:27 – 2nd J. Nachbaur 10 Misconduct (39.4)
10:59 – 2nd J. Lambert 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
2:51 – 3rd Z. Bross 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
7:42 – 3rd N. Delmas 2 Hooking – minor (55.2)
15:46 – 3rd B. Russell 5 Fighting – Major (46.14)
15:46 – 3rd R. Newkirk 5 Fighting – Major (46.14)

Notes

  • Railers Scratches: Conor Breen, Zack Bross (reserve), Phil Beaulieu (family leave), Anthony Repaci (injured), and Jack Quinlivan.
  • Greenville Scratches: Tanner Eberle (injured), Austin Eastman, Jake Elmer (reserve), Justin Hamonic, and Brannon McManus (reserve).
  • The Railers hosted their annual Guns N Hoses doubleheader Saturday afternoon, the first game was the Worcester Fire Department vs the Worcester Police Department. The final score of that game was 7-1.
  • The jersey raffle for Saturday night’s game was a game-issued #39 Worcester Six jersey from the 2019-20 season. #39 was worn by EBUGs during the season, and the Railers did not have one when the jerseys were worn. No nameplate was attached to the jersey.
  • Breaking the Ice podcast recorded a live show on the concourse prior to puck drop Saturday night. The podcast is hosted by former WAAF (now with the Pike) DJ Mike Hsu and Producer Josh Dolan and featured guests such as Jordan L-Smotherman and broadcaster Tim Foley. Their podcast can be found on Spotify. This episode has not been released yet.
  • The Railers had the following scoring streaks:
    • Jimmy Lambert extended his point streak to seven games. (3G, 7A)
    • Reece Newkirk is on a three-game point streak. (1G, 3A)
    • Blake Christensen is on a three-game point streak. (1G, 2A)
    • Collin Adams is on a three-game point streak. (2G, 2A)
  • 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 Reece Newkirk #37 Jimmy Lambert #23 Bobby Butler #8 “”C””
Forward Line 2 Collin Adams #21 Blade Jenkins #17 Quinn Ryan #19
Forward Line 3 Nolan Vesey #11 “”A”” Brent Beaudoin #12 Zack Bross #29
Rotated Forwards Blake Christensen #18 Liam Coughlin #7
Defensive Pairings LD RD
Defense Pair 1 Jared Brandt #26 Myles McGurty #27 “A”
Defense Pair 2 Christian Evers #15 Noah Delmas #9
Defense Pair 3 Jeff Solow #22 Connor McCarthy #2
Rotated Defensemen – –
Goalie Tandem G
Starting Goaltender Henrik Tikkanen #39
Backup Goaltender Ken Appleby #35

 

Opponent Lines

Forward Lines LW C RW
Forward Line 1 Ethan Somoza #16 Nikita Pavlychev #15 Alex Ierullo #14
Forward Line 2 Ayden MacDonald #41 Ben Freeman #24 Carter Souch #18
Forward Line 3 Justin Nachbaur #29 Brett Kemp #9 Chase Zieky #25
Rotated Forwards Dallas Gerads #12 – Anthony Beauchamp #27
Defensive Pairings LD RD
Defense Pair 1 Tyler Inamoto #5 Joe Gatenby #37
Defense Pair 2 Ethan Cap #22 Max Martin #10
Defense Pair 3 Bobby Russell #21 Frank Hora #43
Rotated Defensemen – –
Goalie Tandem G
Starting Goaltender Michael McNiven #1
Backup Goaltender David Hrenak #34

 

On-Ice Officials

– –
Referee Marc-Olivier Phaneuf (23)
Referee –
Linesman Noah Merrow (57)
Linesman Nathan Frechette (49)

Highlights

Notable Tweets as the Game Happened

 


Railers Lines


Coach Smo Pre-Game Selfie


Jimmy Lambert goal


Bobby Butler goal


Connor McCarthy goal


Brent Beaudoin goal


Blade Jenkins goal


Nolan Vesey


Quinn Ryan goal