Game Story


Worcester, MA — The Worcester Railers snapped a five-game losing streak Saturday night, taking the first of two games against the Newfoundland Growlers 8-3.

The Newfoundland Growlers entered Worcester on Saturday coming off their fifth straight win which started December 4 against the Railers, followed by three straight overtime wins over the Iowa Heartlanders, they won 5-1 over the Adirondack Thunder in Glens Falls on Friday. The Worcester Railers tied a franchise record for most goals scored in a single game which happened twice last season. Keith Petruzzelli started in net for Newfoundland and was replaced by Dryden McKay after the second period and six goals were allowed on 22 shots. Ken Appleby made 28 saves in his ninth win of the season. Worcester had six different goal scorers – Liam Coughlin, Bobby Butler, Blade Jenkins, Jimmy Lambert, Reece Newkirk, and Collin Adams.

Newfoundland opened the scoring on Saturday with Keenan Suthers breaking up a pass from Ken Appleby from behind his net and scoring on the open goal at 3:51. Liam Coughlin would tie the game back up five minutes later on a rush set-up by a pass from Christian Evers at 8:51. Bobby Butler brought the game to 2-1 to close out the scoring in the period at 17:26 on a slapshot from the slot on a pass from Blade Jenkins. Nathan Noel was issued a charging minor in the closing second of the first period.

Blade Jenkins converted on Worcester’s second power play of the evening, tapping in a pass from Phil Beaulieu at 47 seconds. Jimmy Lambert scored six minutes later with a pass from Quinn Ryan off the draw at 6:36. Bobby Butler scored his second on a two-on-one rush alongside Myles McGurty, beating Chris Martinet and Keith Petruzzelli in front of the net at 7:20. Reece Newkirk was tripped up with 1:25 left in the second and was issued a penalty shot which he scored on to bring Worcester’s lead to 6-1 after two periods.

Newfoundland found some life early in the third period with goals from Pavel Gogolev and Todd Skirving in a 50-second time frame at 4:12 and 5:02. Reece Newkirk and Matt Sredl fought at the 10-minute mark in the period. Bobby Butler completed the hat-trick at 11:36, passing to Blade Jenkins down the right side and connecting on a pass back from Jenkins. Collin Adams put the icing on the cake for Worcester’s night, scoring from the right circle at 12:39 for the Railers’ second power-play goal of the night, bringing the scoring tally to 8-3 to end the night.

The three stars of Saturday night’s game were:

  1. Bobby Butler (Worcester) – 3 goals
  2. Blade Jenkins (Worcester) – 1 goal, 2 assists
  3. Collin Adams (Worcester) – 1 goal, 2 assists

Around the North division, the Reading Royals defeated the Trois-Rivieres Lions 4-2, Norfolk lost 4-1 to Toledo, and Maine beat Adirondack 4-1. The Growlers currently hold the lead in the North division with 37 points, the Railers are just two points back with 35 with Saturday being the 25th game of the season for each hockey club. In an oddity on Saturday night, the South Carolina Stingrays and Savannah Ghost Pirates game was postponed due to a reported Zamboini Malfunction.

The Newfoundland Growlers and Worcester Railers are back at it again on Sunday afternoon the close out the weekend.

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Box Score


Scoring 1 2 3 T
1 0 2 3
2 4 2 8
Shots 1 2 3 T
11 9 11 31
12 10 7 29
Score Team Time Scored by Assisted by Type
1 – 0 3:51 – 1st K. Suthers (3)
1 – 1 8:51 – 1st L. Coughlin (3) C. Evers, N. Vesey
1 – 2 17:26 – 1st B. Butler (8) B. Jenkins, C. Adams
1 – 3 0:47 – 2nd B. Jenkins (8) P. Beaulieu, B. Christensen PP
1 – 4 6:36 – 2nd J. Lambert (8) Q. Ryan
1 – 5 7:20 – 2nd B. Butler (9) M. McGurty, C. Adams
1 – 6 18:35 – 2nd R. Newkirk (11) PS
2 – 6 4:12 – 3rd P. Gogolev (6) T. Egan, C. Martenet
3 – 6 5:02 – 3rd T. Skirving (11) Z. O’Brien
3 – 7 11:36 – 3rd B. Butler (10) B. Jenkins
3 – 8 12:39 – 3rd C. Adams (9) L. Coughlin, B. Christensen PP

Rosters

# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 30 D. McKay 0 0 0 0 0
G 35 K. Petruzzelli 0 0 0 0 0
D 3 M. Joyaux 0 0 -1 2 0
D 5 B. Kapcheck 0 0 +1 1 2
F 10 Z. O’Brien 0 1 -2 2 2
F 14 B. Budgell 0 0 0 4 0
F 15 T. Skirving 1 0 -1 4 0
F 16 N. Noel 0 0 0 0 2
F 17 B. Kruse 0 0 0 3 0
F 27 K. Suthers 1 0 -1 3 2
F 28 Z. Solow 0 0 -2 2 0
D 40 C. Martenet 0 1 -1 1 0
D 41 T. Egan 0 1 +2 0 0
F 42 J. Escott 0 0 0 2 0
D 45 M. Sredl 0 0 -1 2 5
F 46 P. Gogolev 1 0 0 3 0
F 47 J. Kaplan 0 0 0 1 0
D 50 D. Peters 0 0 -4 1 0
– – – – – – – –
Team:
Totals: 3 3 -10 31 13
Player MIN SH SVS GA SV%
35 K. Petruzzelli (L) – 22 16 6 –
30 D. McKay – 7 5 2 –
Totals: – 29 21 8 –
# 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 +2 0 2
F 7 L. Coughlin 1 1 +1 1 0
F 8 B. Butler 3 0 +2 4 0
D 9 N. Delmas 0 0 -1 1 0
F 11 N. Vesey 0 1 +1 0 0
F 12 B. Beaudoin 0 0 -1 5 0
D 15 C. Evers 0 1 +2 3 2
F 17 B. Jenkins 1 2 +2 1 0
F 18 B. Christensen 0 2 0 2 0
F 19 Q. Ryan 0 1 0 1 0
F 21 C. Adams 1 2 +1 3 0
F 23 J. Lambert 1 0 0 5 0
D 25 P. Beaulieu 0 1 -1 0 0
D 26 J. Brandt 0 0 +1 1 0
D 27 M. McGurty 0 1 +1 0 0
F 37 R. Newkirk 1 0 +1 1 5
F 81 A. Repaci 0 0 0 1 0
Team:
Totals: 8 12 11 29 9
Player MIN SH SVS GJ SV%
35 K. Appleby (W) – 31 28 3 –
– – – – – – –
Totals: – 31 28 3 –

Penalties

Time Team Player Mins Infraction
14:32 – 1st Z. O’Brien 2 High-sticking – minor (60.2)
19:59 – 1st N. Noel 2 Charging minor (42.2)
14:29 – 2nd C. Evers 2 Hooking – minor (55.2)
16:07 – 2nd K. Suthers 2 Hooking – minor (55.2)
10:00 – 3rd M. Sredl 5 Fighting – Major (46.14)
10:00 – 3rd R. Newkirk 5 Fighting – Major (46.14)
12:29 – 3rd B. Kapcheck 2 Holding – minor (54.2)
15:36 – 3rd C. McCarthy 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)


Notes

  • Worcester Scratches: Billy Jerry, Jack Quinlivan, Jeff Solow, and Zack Bross.
  • Newfoundland Scratches: Derian Plouffe, Jack Badini, James Melindy, Joe Murdaca, and Luke Cavallin.
  • Blade Jenkins and Collin Adams were both returned to the Worcester Railers on Friday after being on recall to the Bridgeport Islanders. Both tallied a single point in the three games they played. Collin Adams scored a goal in Bridgeport’s 5-1 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on December 3, Jimmy Lambert had the primary assist on his goal.
  • Derek Osik was signed and released earlier this week, marking the end of his third stint with the Railers after being released last Sunday to free up a roster spot for Austin Osmanski. Osik was released to make room either Adams or Lambert, with Jack Quinlivan heading to 14-day injured reserve to gain the second roster spot for the duo.

  • The Railers had the following streaks after Saturday night’s game:
    • Liam Coughlin is on a three-game point streak. (1-3-4)
    • Jimmy Lambert is on a three-game point streak in his last three ECHL games. (3-0-3)
    • Brent Beaudoin and Connor McCarthy are without a point in their last six games.
    • Jared Brandt is without a point in his last five games.
    • Blake Christensen snapped a five-game point-less streak.
    • Phil Beaulieau and Myles McGurty scored their first points in four games.

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 Christian Evers #15 Connor McCarthy #2
Rotated Defensemen – –
Goalie Tandem G
Starting Goaltender Ken Appleby #35
Backup Goaltender Henrik Tikkanen #39

Railers Lines

Forward Lines LW C RW
Forward Line 1 Todd Skirving #15 Zach Solow #28 Zach O’Brien #10
Forward Line 2 Keenan Suthers #27 Brett Budgell #14 Pavel Gogolev #46
Forward Line 3 Brandon Kruse #17 Nathan Noel #16 Jordan Kaplan #47
Rotated Forwards Jordan Escott #42 – –
Defensive Pairings LD RD
Defense Pair 1 Michael Joyaux #3 Matt Sredl #45
Defense Pair 2 Taylor Egan #41 Brennan Kapcheck #5
Defense Pair 3 Chris Martenet #40 Dilan Peters #50
Rotated Defensemen – –
Goalie Tandem G
Starting Goaltender Keith Petruzzelli #35
Backup Goaltender Dryden McKay #30

On-Ice Officials

– –
Referee Bobby Esposito (35)
Referee –
Linesman Stephen Drain (52)
Linesman Nathan Frechette (49)


Highlights


Notable Tweets as the Game Happened


Railers Lines


Growlers Lines


Keenan Suthers Goal (1-0 Growlers)


Liam Coughlin goal (Tied 1-1)


Bobby Butler First goal (2-1 Railers)


Blade Jenkins (3-1 Railers)


Jimmy Lambert goal (4-1 Railers)


Bobby Butler second goal (5-1 Railers)


Reece Newkirk Penalty Shot (6-1 Railers)


Pavel Gogolev goal (6-2 Railers)


Todd Skirving goal (6-3 Railers)


Bobby Butler Third goal – Hat Trick (7-3 Railers)


Collin Adams goal (8-3 Railers)