Game Story


Worcester, MA – The Worcester Railers claimed victory in the first game of a 3-in-3 series against the Norfolk Admirals, securing a 4-3 win in overtime on Friday night.

John Muse made his fifth start of the season and picked up his fourth win of the season, making 40 saves. Opposite of Muse was Thomas Milic, stopping 28 shots made by Worcester. Ryan Verrier, Riley Piercey, Artyom Kulakov, and Blade Jenkins each scored for Worcester. Verrier, Piercey, and Kulakov each had their first points in five games, while Blade Jenkins being Blade Jenkins, extended his point streak to four games. Daylan Kuefler, Ashton Calder, Zsombor Garat, and Andrei Bakanov also contributed with assists. Aaron Miller, Denis Smirnov, and Brandon Osmundson had the tallies for Norfolk. Former Worcester Blade Mariah Fujimagari was the emergency backup goaltender for Norfolk after being added that afternoon, she looked ready to be put in after Milic took a puck off his facemask, she’s still waiting for a chance in a regular season ECHL game after spending time with Kalamazoo during the pre-season.

It was a battle of two teams that have been hit or miss lately, though the Railers have been on an upward trend in the past month. The Railers were coming off back-to-back losses last weekend while the Admirals had lost their last five games. After Friday’s game, Worcester is 7-2-1 in their last ten, and Norfolk is 1-7-2 in their last ten. Railers did not have a power play the entire night, and Norfolk was unsuccessful on both of their power plays. Just four penalties were called the entire game.

Ryan Verrier kicked off scoring with a shot off a loose puck from between the faceoff circles at 3:25, his shot got through after the initial shot from Daylan Kuefler five seconds earlier. Aaron Miller tied the game at 11:47 in the period, and a late goal with 47 seconds left in the first period gave Norfolk a 2-1 lead.

Artyom Kulakov scored the game-tying goal at 18:04 in the second period while Mark Liwiski and Zsombor Garat both sat for matching roughing penalties. Kulakov sent a long drive from outside the right faceoff circle through some traffic, bouncing off Thomas Milic and into the net behind him to keep the game tied heading into the third period.

At 1:39 in the third period, Riley Piercey regained the lead for Worcester deflecting a shot from Zsombor Garat to put the game at 3-2. Railers would hold the one-goal lead until fourteen minutes later when Brandon Osmundson scored on a crowded Railers net. The goal would be reviewed for goaltender interference but would stand with a pair of Railers skaters in the crease behind John Muse. Norfolk would outshoot Worcester 18-14 in the third period heading into overtime.

Blade Jenkins sealed the game with a well-timed shot into the net on the second shot during the overtime period. Anthony Repaci provided effective coverage upfront, serving as a distraction to Thomas Milic, while Ryan Verrier’s engagement with Darick Louis-Jean opened up a great opportunity to score.

The three stars of the game were:

  1. Blade Jenkins (Worcester) – 1 goal
  2. Daylan Kuefler (Worcester) – 2 assists, +2
  3. John Muse (Worcester) – win, 40 saves, 0.930 SV%

In the North Division, former Railer Devon Paliani netted the sole goal in the Reading Royals’ 1-0 shutout against the Maine Mariners on their home ice. The Trois-Rivieres Lions suffered a 5-4 loss to the Atlanta Gladiators at home, thanks to a late goal from Atlanta in the third period. Saturday will see action from all seven teams, featuring matchups of the Adirondack Thunder taking on the Newfoundland Growlers, a rematch between Maine and Reading, and Trois-Rivieres facing off against Atlanta. The competition for third place is close, with Norfolk and Worcester in a close race for third, and the Growlers holding just a few points ahead of Worcester for second place in the division.

On Saturday night, the Railers will host the Admirals for the second game of this 3-in-3 series. It will be Worcester IceCats night, featuring special jerseys inspired by the IceCats. The puck is set to drop at 7:05 p.m.

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Box Score

Box Score

Scoring 1 2 3 OT T
2 0 1 0 3
1 1 1 1 4
Shots 1 2 3 OT T
13 12 18 0 43
7 9 14 2 32
Score Team Time Scored by Assisted by Type
0 – 1 3:25 – 1st R. Verrier (2) D. Kuefler, A. Calder
1 – 1 NOR 11:47 – 1st A. Miller (6) M. Liwiski
2 – 1 NOR 19:13 – 1st D. Smirnov (4) O. Norton, M. Liwiski
2 – 2 18:04 – 2nd A. Kulakov (1) A. Callin, D. Kuefler
2 – 3 1:39 – 3rd R. Piercey (3) Z. Garat, A. Bakanov
3 – 3 NOR 15:31 – 3rd B. Osmundson (2) C. Musser, O. Norton
3 – 4 1:17 – 1st OT B. Jenkins (9) A. Repaci

Rosters

# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 30 M. Fujimagari 0 0 0 0 0
G 35 T. Milic 0 0 0 0 0
D 2 D. Louis-Jean 0 0 -1 4 0
D 4 C. Musser 0 1 0 2 0
D 5 S. Kubicek 0 0 0 2 0
LW 8 D. Smirnov 1 0 -2 5 0
F 10 M. Liwiski 0 2 +1 3 2
LW 12 D. Katic 0 0 -1 1 0
RW 13 K. Iverson 0 0 +1 0 0
D 14 C. Fedorek 0 0 -1 3 0
LW 15 M. Roy 0 0 -2 3 0
C 16 K. Jameson 0 0 0 2 0
F 17 A. Miller 1 0 0 4 0
D 18 A. McLean 0 0 +2 1 0
D 20 O. Norton 0 2 +2 4 0
D 23 J. McDougall 0 0 0 1 0
F 25 B. Osmundson 1 0 0 3 0
F 27 M. Ustaski 0 0 0 1 0
F 94 B. Fleurent 0 0 -1 4 0
Team:
Totals: 3 5 -2 43 2
Player MIN SH SVS GA SV%
35 T. Milic (L) – 32 28 4 –
Totals: – 32 28 4 –
# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 35 J. Boyko 0 0 0 0 0
G 40 J. Muse 0 0 0 0 0
D 3 R. Verrier 1 0 +2 4 0
F 5 Z. White 0 0 0 1 0
F 11 A. Bakanov 0 1 0 1 0
F 12 J. Cipollone 0 0 0 1 0
F 13 J. Pivonka 0 0 0 3 0
F 15 B. Robbins 0 0 -1 2 0
F 16 A. Calder 0 1 +1 3 0
F 17 K. Howdeshell 0 0 0 0 2
F 19 B. Jenkins 1 0 0 2 0
F 22 D. Kuefler 0 2 +2 1 0
D 26 C. Welsh 0 0 -1 2 0
D 27 J. Copeland 0 0 0 2 0
F 29 R. Piercey 1 0 -1 2 0
F 44 A. Callin 0 1 0 2 0
D 70 Z. Garat 0 1 0 2 4
F 81 A. Repaci 0 1 -1 3 0
D 88 A. Kulakov 1 0 +1 1 0
Team:
Totals: 4 7 2 32 6
Player MIN SH SVS GJ SV%
40 J. Muse (W) – 43 40 3 –
Totals: – 43 40 3 –

Penalties

Time Team Player Mins Infraction
2:43 – 2nd K. Howdeshell 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
17:10 – 2nd M. Liwiski 2 Roughing – minor (51.2)
17:10 – 2nd Z. Garat 2 Roughing – minor (51.2)
3:26 – 3rd Z. Garat 2 Hooking – minor (55.2)


Notes

  • Worcester Scratches: Brian Bowen, Christian Krygier, Jack Quinlivan, Nick Pennucci, Ryan Dickinson, Todd Goehring, and Tristan Lennox.
  • Norfolk Scratches: Justin Robidas, Stepan Timofeyev, and Yaniv Perets.
    Quinn Ryan was released on waivers on Wednesday, and the team signed Brian Bowen. Nick Fea was released by Wichita the following day. The Maine Mariners claimed Ryan on Thursday and suspended him on Friday after he presumably had other plans. Fea cleared waivers, and as he did not have a SPHL contract anywhere, became a free agent. The Railers made another move releasing Kaden Fulcher and signing defenseman Ryan Dickinson out of SUNY-Oswego on Thursday. Neither Bowen nor Dickinson were in the lineup on Friday night.
  • Friday almost saw the ECHL debut of Mariah Fujimajari, after Thomas Milic took a puck off the face mask. He ended up having a black eye but stayed in the game after getting looked at by Norfolk’s athletic trainer at the bench. EBUGs are only allowed to enter a game if the starter is unable to play due to injury or if they receive a game misconduct.
  • Following Friday night’s game, the Railers had the following scoring streaks and droughts:
    • Ryan Verrier snapped a five-game scoring drought with the game’s first goal.
    • Zach White is without a point in his last three games.
    • Brendan Robbins is without a point in his last three games.
    • Keeghan Howdeshell is without a point in his last seven games.
    • Blade Jenkins is on a four-game point streak. (2-3-5)
    • Daylan Kuefler snapped a four-game scoring drought with a pair of assists.
    • John Copeland is without a point in his last five games.
    • Riley Piercey snapped a five-game scoring drought with a goal.
    • Anthony Callin is on a three-game point streak. (1-2-3)
    • Zsombor Garat snapped a four-game scoring drought with an assist.
    • Artyom Kulakov snapped a five-game scoring drought with a goal.




Notable Tweets as the Game Happened


Railers Lines


Admirals Lines


Ryan Verrier goal (1-0 Railers)


Aaron Miller goal (Tied at 1)


Denis Smirnov goal (2-1 Admirals)


Artyom Kulakov goal (Tied at 2)


Riley Piercey goal (3-2 Railers)


Brandon Osmundson goal (Tied at 3)


Blade Jenkins goal (4-3 Railers)