Adirondack Thunder (31-19-5-2) vs Worcester Railers (24-22-5-4)

DCU Center – Worcester, Massachusetts

Sunday, March 3, 2019 – 7:00 EST – ECHL Game #776

989 Nash Icon | ECHL.TV

Referee: Jesse Gour (#8)

Linesmen: Guillaume Brunelle (#73), Kyle Richetelle (#73)

Match Notes

  • Season Series: Game 8 of 11. (Adirondack leads season-series at 4-2-0-1)
  • Only one game this season has gone into overtime or shootout. That game came on November 15, 2018. Nick Bligh scored the game-winner in the third round of the shootout. Woody Hudson and Conor Riley scored in regulation for their teams.
  • Adirondack will be the second team in the north division to reach 70 points with a point today. Worcester can tie with Reading for sixth in the division with a win.

Players to Watch

  • Ryan Hitchcock (Worcester) – Hitchcock was Worcester’s unofficial player of the month, leading the team with 13 points in 12 games, scoring in all but two of the games in the month. With points in back-to-back games, be on the lookout for Ryan as he looks to get another point streak going tonight.
  • James Henry (Adirondack) – With nine points in his last four games, James Henry is on fire, bringing his points-per-game up to an even one. Henry leads Adirondack in points against Worcester with five. (2-3-5)

Railers Notes

  • Nick Sorkin is on a three-game point streak. (1-3-4)
  • Matt Gaudreau is on a three-game point streak. (2-4-5)
  • David Quenneville is on a three-game point streak. (2-2-4)
  • Worcester has the third best penalty kill at home. (88.3 percent)
  • Railers are the only team in the league without a shorthanded goal at home this season.
  • Worcester is undefeated at home when leading after two periods. (8-0)
  • Cold Streaks: Tommy Kelley (6 games), Dylan Willick (6 games), Mike Cornell (4 games), Yanick Turcotte (4 games), Ivan Kosorenkov (3 games), Tyler Mueller (3 games)

Recent Railers Additions, Subtractions, Transactions

  • Ross Olsson was signed to a ATO on Friday.

Possible Railers Scratches

  • Connor Doherty – on injured reserve, last played on February 10.
  • Kyle McKenzie – on injured reserve, out for the season.
  • Tommy Panico – on injured reserve, out for the season.
  • Matt Schmalz – on injured reserve, last played on January 25.
  • Alex Vanier – on injured reserve, last played on February 17.
  • Additional scratches to be determined closer to puck drop.

Thunder Notes

  • James Henry is ninth in points with 57 and is second in assists with 45.
  • Mike Szmatula is third among rookies with 24 goals in 49 games.
  • Blake Thompson is on a six-game point streak. (1-6-7)
  • Adirondack has the second-best power play record in the league. (22.2 percent)
  • The Thunder have allowed just three shorthanded goals this season, the least in the league.

Recent Thunder Additions, Subtractions, Transactions

  • Alex Fotinos was released from his ATO on Saturday.
  • Logan Thompson was signed to a SPC on Saturday.
  • Mike Szmatula was released from his PTO with Utica and returned on Saturday.
  • Arthur Brey was signed to a SPC on Friday.
  • Jake Linhart was released from his PTO with Utica and returned on Friday.
  • Alex Sakellaropoulous was placed on reserve on Friday.
  • Brian Bowen was signed to a SPC on Friday.

Possible Thunder Scratches

  • Shane Conacher – on injured reserve, last played on December 31.
  • Dennis Kravchenko – on injured reserve, last played on December 28.
  • Carter Struthers – on injured reserve, last played on February 16.
  • Michael Sdao – on injured reserve, last played on January 26.
  • Alex Sakellaropoulous – on reserve.
  • Additional scratches to be determined closer to puck drop.

Head-to-Head

Worcester  Adirondack
Goals For  2.60 – 26th  3.28 – 11th
Goals Against  3.05 – 10th  2.88 – 6th
Shots For  32.15 – 10th  33.12 – 4th
Shots Against  33.24 – 20th  30.42 – 9th
Fighting Majors  40  27
Power Play  14.1% – 24th  22.2% – 2nd
Penalty Kill  84.9% – 8th  83.0 % – 13th
Avg Height / Weight / Age  6′ 0″ / 192 lbs / 24.64 years  6′ 0″ / 192 lbs / 25.44 years

Team Records

Worcester  Adirondack
Scoring First  16-7-1-2  19-5-1-0
Leading After 1  9-1-1-4  19-2-1-0
Leading After 2  14-0-1-2  25-0-2-0
Tied After 1  9-9-3-0  10-4-4-1
Tied After 2  8-6-2-2  4-3-3-1
Trailing After 1  6-12-1-0  2-13-0-1
Trailing After 2  2-16-2-0  2-16-0-1
Outshooting Opponents  10-9-2-3  20-7-3-2
Out Shot by Opponents  12-13-3-1  8-12-2-0

On the Island and at the Port

  • Recap: Capitals 3, Islanders 1 [NHL]
  • Sound Tigers Bite Bears for Sixth Straight Win [Sound Tigers]
  • Sound Tigers face the Phantoms on the road today at 3:05 PM.
  • Isles host the Flyers at home today, 3 PM.

Closing Statements

  • For live updates during the game, follow us on Twitter @WooHockeyNews.