Game Story

Worcester, MA — The Worcester Railers and Newfoundland Growlers battled the Newfoundland Growlers in the first of twelve meetings on Wednesday night. Both teams entered the game with a perfect 5-0 record and were eager to extend their win streaks into the month of November. In the end, the Worcester Railers kept their streak going with a 4-3 victory in overtime.

Nolan Vesey, Reece Newkirk, Anthony Repaci, and Collin Adams were the goal scorers for Worcester. Anthony Repaci, Brent Beaudoin, and Collin Adams each had multi-point nights. Brent Beaudoin and Blade Jenkins are on six-game point streaks. The Railers were 0-for-4 on the power play; and allowed one goal while on the power play. They are now tied with Reading for most shorthanded goals in the ECHL with two. Tyler Boland, Brett Budgell, and Nathan Noel each scored for Newfoundland. Newfoundland outshot Worcester 33-29 on the night. The Worcester Railers are now on a franchise-long six-game win streak.

Railers picked up in what seems to be the Railers way this season, scoring back-to-back early goals in the first period. Nolan Vesey and Reece Newkirk each scored within a minute and a half of each other Worcester led 2-0; outshooting Newfoundland 9-5.

Tyler Boland scored the only goal of the second period at 5:54 to bring the Growlers within one in a period that was largely dominated by Newfoundland. Worcester had just three shots on goal in the second period to Newfoundland’s thirteen. Growlers would tie things up at 8:01 in the third period, and take the lead on a shorthanded goal at 13:06.

Anthony Repaci would keep the game alive with 47.4 seconds remaining in regulation with a one-timer off the face-off to tie things up and force overtime.

Collin Adams raced Newfoundland skater Orrin Centazzo down the left side and put the game away with a backhanded shot past Dryden McKay to put the game away at the 2:50 mark in overtime.

The Worcester Railers are one of two teams who remain undefeated, the other being ECHL’s latest expansion team the Savannah Ghost Pirates, who the Railers won’t face until February 26. The Railers will see the Growlers five times next month.

The three stars of Wednesday’s game were:

  1. Collin Adams (Worcester) – game-winning goal, 1 assist
  2. Reece Newkirk (Worcester) – 1 goal
  3. Ken Appleby (Worcester) – win, 30 saves, 0.826 SV%

The Worcester Railers host the first of three games against the Norfolk Admirals on Saturday at 7 PM. The team will be hosting its first Hockey Fights Cancer night with specialty jerseys auctioned off to benefit Why Me and Sherry’s House to raise funds to help families dealing with pediatric cancer. The team is currently offering a Fevo Two-Ticket Bundle, which includes two free pucks.