Game Story

Worcester, MA – The Worcester Railers dropped the first of back-to-back games against the Reading Royals during their 2025 IceCats Weekend, ultimately falling 4-3 in the shootout.

Michael Bullion made his 17th start of the season with 24 saves. Vinnie Purpura earned his fifth win of the season with 29 saves. Purpura is undefeated in regulation against Worcester, posting a 10-0-1 in eleven career starts with three of those wins this season. Justin Gill, Anthony Callin, and Matt DeMelis scored for Worcester. Lou-Felix Denis, Jake Smith, and Matt Brown scored for Reading, while Matt Miller scored the lone shootout goal.

Justin Gill put the Railers Worcester ahead just 45 seconds into the first period, sneaking the puck through the pads of Vinnie Purprua. Reading responded at 2:18 with a goal from Lou-Félix Denis to tie the game. Anthony Callin reclaimed the lead for Worcester at 11:59 with a one-timer, and Matt DeMelis extended the advantage to 3-1, scoring on a loose puck from the right side with 10 seconds left in the first period. Shots in the opening period favored Worcester 13-10.

Reading rallied in the second, cutting the deficit to 3-2 with Jake Smith’s goal at 9:40. It was one of many weak goals allowed by Michael Bullion in recent memory. Cole Donhauser was sent to the box with 1:02 left in the period on a tripping call, and after referee Austin O’Rouke conversed with Railers head coach Nick Tuzzolino which ended in a bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct, that became a 5-on-3 advantage. Matt Brown tied the game for Reading on their 5-on-3 advantage with just 21 seconds remaining in the period. Both teams managed eight shots each in the frame.

Despite two power-play opportunities for Worcester in the third period, neither team managed to break the deadlock. Worcester outshot Reading 9-3 in the final frame of regulation. The stalemate persisted into overtime, during which Reading had a late power play after Jordan Kaplan received a slashing penalty, followed by misconduct and game misconduct penalties for protesting the call. Reading outshot Worcester 6-2 in the extra session, though the Railers held a 32-27 shot advantage overall in regulation.

In the shootout, Matt Miller secured Reading’s 4-3 victory in the second round with a shot that rang off the crossbar and into the net behind Michael Bullion.

The three stars of the game were:

  1. Matt Miller (Reading) – shootout goal, 1 assist
  2. Anthony Callin (Worcester) – 1 goal, 1 assist, +2
  3. Matt Kopperud (Worcester) – 2 assists, +2

The Trois-Rivieres Lions beat the Adirondack Thunder 7-2, thanks to a six-goal first period. The Wheeling Nailers beat the Norfolk Admirals 5-4 at the Norfolk Scope. Maine Mariners fell 3-2 in overtime to the Tahoe Knight Monsters. All seven North Division teams play again tomorrow in rematches.

The Railers and Royals return to the DCU Center on Saturday to wrap things up on IceCats weekend, puck drops at 6:05 p.m.

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Box Score


Scoring 1 2 3 OT SO T
1 2 0 0 1 4
3 0 0 0 0 3
Shots 1 2 3 OT SO T
10 8 3 6 1 28
13 8 9 2 0 32
Score Team Time Scored by Assisted by Type
0 – 1 0:45 – 1st J. Gill (2) A. Callin, M. Kopperud
1 – 1 2:18 – 1st L. Denis (5) S. Sedley, B. Caufield
1 – 2 11:59 – 1st A. Callin (7) J. Gill, M. Kopperud
1 – 3 19:49 – 1st M. DeMelis (1) C. Welsh, L. Hatten
2 – 3 9:40 – 2nd J. Smith (6) M. Brown, S. Sedley
3 – 3 19:39 – 2nd M. Brown (6) M. Miller, J. Smith PP
# Shooter Goal?
19 Brock Caufield ❌
20 Matt Miller ✔️
37 Matt Brown ❌
Goal? Shooter #
❌ Anthony Callin 44
❌ Anthony Repaci 81
❌ Griffin Loughran 16

Rosters

# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 29 V. Purpura 0 0 0 0 0
G 80 K. Petruzzelli 0 0 0 0 0
D 2 R. Stucker 0 0 0 0 4
F 5 L. Denis 1 0 +1 1 0
D 9 S. Sedley 0 2 0 1 0
F 13 C. Cook 0 0 -1 1 0
F 16 S. Sellar 0 0 +1 0 0
F 17 T. Skirving 0 0 -2 4 0
F 18 R. Leibold 0 0 0 1 0
F 19 B. Caufield 0 1 +1 2 0
F 20 M. Miller 0 1 -2 2 0
F 21 A. Master 0 0 -1 1 0
D 23 G. Cassaro 0 0 +1 5 0
D 28 C. Walters 0 0 -1 0 0
F 37 M. Brown 1 1 -1 3 0
F 39 C. McMenamin 0 0 0 1 2
D 46 C. Valerian 0 0 -1 0 0
D 57 K. Johnson 0 0 -1 2 0
F 59 T. Gratton 0 0 -1 0 2
F 71 J. Smith 1 1 +1 3 2
Team: 1 1
Player MIN SH SVS GA SV%
29 V. Purpura (W) – 32 29 3 –
Totals: – 32 29 3 –
# 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 -1 0 0
F 7 J. Gill 1 1 +2 2 2
D 8 C. Krygier 0 0 0 2 0
F 9 R. Ginnell 0 0 0 0 0
F 10 J. Kaplan 0 0 -1 2 22
F 12 K. Johnson 0 0 0 0 0
D 14 M. Rajaniemi 0 0 0 0 0
F 16 G. Loughran 0 0 -1 3 2
F 18 M. Kopperud 0 2 +2 2 2
D 22 G. Luce 0 0 +1 2 0
D 24 M. Klee 0 0 0 2 2
D 26 C. Welsh 0 1 +2 4 2
D 27 C. McDonald 0 0 -1 1 0
F 29 C. Donhauser 0 0 +1 1 2
F 33 L. Hatten 0 1 +1 1 0
F 37 M. DeMelis 1 0 +1 1 0
F 44 A. Callin 1 1 +2 4 0
F 81 A. Repaci 0 0 -2 5 0
Team: 2
Player MIN SH SVS GJ SV%
32 M. Bullion (SOL) – 27 24 3 –
Totals: – 27 24 3 –

Penalties

Time Team Player Mins Infraction
3:31 – 1st C. McMenamin 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
8:54 – 1st C. Welsh 2 Tripping – minor (57.2)
15:44 – 1st G. Loughran 2 Tripping – minor (57.2)
3:14 – 2nd M. Klee 2 Delay of Game (63.2)
9:08 – 2nd R. Stucker 2 Roughing – minor (51.2)
9:08 – 2nd J. Gill 2 Roughing – minor (51.2)
10:01 – 2nd M. Kopperud 2 Holding – minor (54.2)
11:23 – 2nd R. Stucker 2 Holding – minor (54.2)
18:58 – 2nd Served by R. Mahshie 2 Bench minor – Unsportsmanlike conduct (75.3)
18:58 – 2nd C. Donhauser 2 Tripping – minor (57.2)
1:55 – 3rd T. Gratton 2 Tripping – minor (57.2)
9:05 – 3rd J. Smith 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
4:58 – 1st OT J. Kaplan 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
4:58 – 1st OT J. Kaplan 10 Misconduct (39.4)
4:58 – 1st OT J. Kaplan 10 Game misconduct – Abuse of Officials (39.5)


Notes

  • Worcester Scratches: JD Dudek, Brendan Rons, Matthew Boudens, Ryan Dickinson, and Dante Giannuzzi.
  • Reading Scratches: Tony Malinowski, Logan Britt, Nolan Welsh, Powell Connor, Nick Capone, Emile Chouinard, and Jacques Bouquot.
  • On Thursday, Anthony Callin was returned from his PTO with the Springfield Thunderbirds. He played in one game with Springfield and was a -2 in his AHL debut.
  • On Friday, the Railers were assigned goaltender Hugo Ollas by the New York Rangers, and Cam McDonald was assigned by Bridgeport back to Worcester.
  • The team is currently holding their IceCats Jersey Auction. The link to this auction can be found here.
  • The team is raffling off a game-issued John Muse IceCats Jersey. The link to this raffle can be found here.
  • Following Friday night’s game, the Railers had the following scoring streaks and droughts:
    • Jordan Kaplan snapped a three-game point streak. (6-2-8)
    • Kolby Johnson is without a point in his last ten games.
    • Matias Rajaniemi is without a point in his last three games.
    • Griffin Luce is without a point in his last six games.
    • Connor Welsh is on a five-game point streak. (1-6-7)
    • Cole Donhauser is without a point in his last three games.
    • Anthony Repaci snapped an eight-game point streak. (3-12-15)

Railers Lines

Forward Lines LW C RW
Forward Line 1 Anthony Repaci #81 Jordan Kaplan #10 Griffin Loughran #16
Forward Line 2 Matthew Kopperud #18 Anthony Callin #44 Justin Gill #7
Forward Line 3 Cole Donhauser #29 Matt DeMelis #37 Matthew Boudens #23
Forward Line 4 Riley Ginnell #9 Ryan Mahshie #4 Kolby Johnson #12
Defensive Pairings LD RD
Defense Pair 1 Griffin Luce #22 Connor Welsh #26
Defense Pair 2 Cam McDonald #27 Mason Klee #24
Defense Pair 3 Christian Krygier #8 Matias Rajaniemi #14
Rotated Defensemen – –
Goalie Tandem G
Starting Goaltender Michael Bullion #32
Backup Goaltender Hugo Ollas #30

On-Ice Officials

– –
Referee Austin O’Rourke (10)
Referee Koletrane Wilson (53)
Linesman Davids Rozitis (90)
Linesman Sam Schildkraut (46)


Highlights

Notable Tweets as the Game Happened


Railers Lines


IceCats Pre-game pics


Justin Gill


Lou-Felix Denis


Anthony Callin goal


Matt DeMelis goal


Jake Smith goal


Matt Brown goal


Matt Miller goal / Vinnie Purpura Shootout save