Game Story


Worcester, MA — The Worcester Railers continue to climb the standings as they beat the Trois-Rivieres Lions 5-4 at the DCU Center on Friday night.

John Muse recorded 30 saves during his third start of the season and maintained an undefeated record in those three games. Joe Vrbetic, who is still chasing a victory against Worcester, made 27 saves in his fourth career start against the team. Worcester native Nick Pennucci made his professional debut on Friday but did not register any points on the scoresheet. Worcester’s goals were scored by Joey Cipollone, Anthony Repaci, Brendan Robbins, and Andrei Bakanov, with Keeghan Howdeshell securing their fourteenth win of the season in the fifth round of the shootout. Repaci’s goal marked his tenth of the season and his sixtieth as a Railer, matching Barry Almeida’s record for the most goals scored in Railers history. For the Lions, Matthew Boucher netted two goals, while Chris Ortiz and Alex-Olivier Voyer also found the back of the net.

Friday’s game wasn’t the best hockey the Railers have played all season, but they are finding ways to pick up wins. Two points against a team they’re facing 14 times this season is a big win, and coming back from a 4-2 deficit to force overtime, and then win in a shootout is an achievement on its own. The Railers extended their point streak to seven games, ranking as the second-longest active streak in the ECHL. They trail behind the Orlando Solar Bears, who have won eight consecutive games. On the flip side, the Lions have suffered two consecutive losses and hold a 2-5-2-1 record in their last ten games.

Joey Cipollone scored 32 seconds into the power play at 9:31 in the first period, deflecting a pass from Zach White he scored on the first registered shot for the Railers. It was a slow start as Cipollone eventually got the second shot four minutes later, with the Lions eventually outshooting Worcester heading into the second period 10-4.

Matthew Boucher wiped out the Railers’ lead with two goals in five minutes in the second period. His first came at 3:47 on an odd-man rush into the Railers zone, he got a quick shot from the right circle that eluded defenseman Ryan Verrier and goaltender John Muse. His second came at 8:45 when he raced around John Muse’s net and snuck one past Muse with the puck rolling over the goal line. Anthony Repaci tied the game at 14:48 after getting the initial shot, Brendan Robbins got the rebound and hit the post, then Repaci followed up on the second rebound and got it past Vrbetic from the left circle. The Lions scored again two minutes later with Chris Ortiz scoring with a man on for an extra attacker to give them a 3-2 lead heading into the third period.

Alex-Olivier Voyer scored on the power play with just over five remaining in the third period with a snipe outside the right circle. Less than a minute later, Brendan Robbins scored on a deflection, narrowing the Railers’ deficit to just one. With goaltender John Muse pulled for the additional attacker, Andrei Bakanov leveled the score, tapping in a rebound from Anthony Repaci in the front, forcing the game into overtime with only 50 seconds remaining in regulation.

The overtime period had fans on the edge of their seats with neither team scoring, but plenty of attempts were made on both sides, and with the overtime period the game went into the shootout. Eventually, the game progressed to a shootout, where Ashton Calder found the net in the opening round, followed by Matthew Boucher’s goal in the third round. Keeghan Howdeshell clinched the win for Worcester in the fifth round by beating Vrbetic on the glove side.

The three stars of the game were:

  1. Anthony Repaci (Worcester) – 1 goal, 1 assist
  2. Keeghan Howdeshell (Worcester) – shootout goal
  3. Matthew Boucher (Trois-Rivieres) – 2 goals, 1 assist, shootout goal

The Newfoundland Growlers hosted the Utah Grizzlies for the first of a 3-in-3 between the two teams with Utah beating the Growlers 4-3 in overtime earlier on Friday. The Adirondack Thunder topped the Maine Mariners 5-2, with Alex Kile, Tristan Ashbrook, and Topias Vilen each scoring twice in the matchup, they’ll rematch tomorrow in Portland. The Norfolk Admirals faced the Indy Fuel in the opening game of a three-game series, where Indy claimed a 3-2 victory with three early goals on Friday. In the North Division, Norfolk, Trois-Rivieres, Newfoundland, and Worcester are currently tied for second place with 33 points each. Both the Admirals and Railers boast a point percentage of .550, but the Admirals have an edge with one more regulation win after 30 games played.

The Railers and Lions meet again on Saturday night at the DCU Center. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m.

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Box Score


Scoring 1 2 3 OT SO T
0 3 1 0 0 4
1 1 2 0 1 5
Shots 1 2 3 OT SO T
10 11 8 5 0 34
4 8 12 7 1 32
Score Team Time Scored by Assisted by Type
0 – 1 9:31 – 1st J. Cipollone (4) Z. White, A. Calder PP
1 – 1 3:47 – 2nd M. Boucher (10)
2 – 1 8:45 – 2nd M. Boucher (11) C. Ortiz, J. Ducharme
2 – 2 14:48 – 2nd A. Repaci (10) B. Robbins, B. Jenkins
3 – 2 17:45 – 2nd C. Ortiz (4) A. Voyer, N. Laaouan
4 – 2 14:37 – 3rd A. Voyer (6) M. Tourigny, M. Boucher PP
4 – 3 15:41 – 3rd B. Robbins (6) C. Welsh, A. Calder
4 – 4 19:10 – 3rd A. Bakanov (5) A. Repaci, B. Jenkins
# Shooter Goal?
86 Jakov Novak ❌
49 Matthew Boucher ✔️
19 Alex-Olivier Voyer ❌
71 Justin Ducharme ❌
72 Charles-Antoine Paiement ❌
Goal? Shooter #
✔️ Ashton Calder 16
❌ Blade Jenkins 19
❌ Anthony Repaci 81
❌ Anthony Callin 44
✔️ Keeghan Howdeshell 17

Rosters

# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 31 Z. Bouthillier 0 0 0 0 0
G 35 J. Vrbetic 0 0 0 0 0
D 3 E. Hjorth 0 0 -1 1 0
D 6 N. Laaouan 0 1 -2 1 0
D 14 B. Martin 0 0 0 0 0
F 17 J. Power 0 0 0 1 0
D 18 C. Ortiz 1 1 +2 2 0
F 19 A. Voyer 1 1 +1 4 0
D 23 M. Komuls 0 0 0 2 4
F 28 P. Saretsky 0 0 -1 1 0
D 44 M. Pépin 0 0 0 0 0
F 49 M. Boucher 2 1 +1 8 0
F 55 N. Lariviere 0 0 +1 2 2
F 71 J. Ducharme 0 1 +2 4 0
F 72 C. Paiement 0 0 -1 1 0
RW 85 J. Parker-Jones 0 0 0 0 2
C 86 J. Novak 0 0 0 3 0
D 89 M. Tourigny 0 1 +1 4 2
F 96 T. Smilanic 0 0 -1 0 0
Team:
Totals: 4 6 2 34 10
Player MIN SH SVS GA SV%
35 J. Vrbetic (SOL) – 31 27 4 –
Totals: – 31 27 4 –
# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 35 K. Fulcher 0 0 0 0 0
G 40 J. Muse 0 0 0 0 0
D 3 R. Verrier 0 0 -2 0 4
F 5 Z. White 0 1 -1 3 0
F 7 N. Pennucci 0 0 -1 0 0
F 11 A. Bakanov 1 0 +1 2 0
F 12 J. Cipollone 1 0 -1 3 0
F 15 B. Robbins 1 1 +2 4 0
F 16 A. Calder 0 2 +1 2 0
F 17 K. Howdeshell 0 0 -1 1 0
F 19 B. Jenkins 0 2 +1 0 0
F 22 D. Kuefler 0 0 0 1 0
D 26 C. Welsh 0 1 +1 0 4
D 27 J. Copeland 0 0 -2 3 0
F 29 R. Piercey 0 0 +1 0 0
F 44 A. Callin 0 0 0 5 0
D 70 Z. Garat 0 0 0 2 0
F 81 A. Repaci 1 1 +1 5 2
D 88 A. Kulakov 0 0 0 0 0
Team: 1 1
Totals: 5 8 0 32 10
Player MIN SH SVS GJ SV%
40 J. Muse (W) – 34 30 4 –
Totals: – 34 30 4 –

Penalties

Time Team Player Mins Infraction
3:12 – 1st A. Repaci 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
8:59 – 1st J. Parker-Jones 2 Cross-Checking Minor (59.2)
11:20 – 1st R. Verrier 2 Interference – minor (56.2)
8:59 – 2nd N. Lariviere 2 Tripping – minor (57.2)
12:51 – 2nd M. Komuls 2 High-sticking – minor (60.2)
13:30 – 2nd C. Welsh 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
18:14 – 2nd R. Verrier 2 Tripping – minor (57.2)
11:12 – 3rd M. Tourigny 2 Tripping – minor (57.2)
13:20 – 3rd C. Welsh 2 Holding – minor (54.2)
16:41 – 3rd M. Komuls 2 Holding – minor (54.2)


Notes

  • Worcester Scratches: Christian Krygier, Jack Quinlivan, Quinn Ryan, Todd Goehring, and Tristan Lennox.
  • Trois-Rivières Scratches: Anthony Beauregard, Cedric Montminy, Maxim Trépanier, Nicolas Guay, and Zachary Émond.
  • Anthony Repaci matched Barry Almeida’s record for the most goals in Railers’ franchise history by scoring his 60th goal on Friday night. Repaci achieved this feat in 54 fewer games than Almeida. Additionally, he is just 30 points away from claiming the top spot on the all-time points list and needs 30 more assists to secure the first position on the all-time assists list. Currently, Repaci holds the third position in assists, with only two assists away from tying Brent Beaudoin. Additionally, Repaci is five games shy of tying Connor Doherty for second on the all-time games played list with 138.
  • Per a late-night tweet by Bill Ballou, Ross Olsson is slated to return to the Railers after “retiring” last season after a season with the Orlando Solar Bears. His next game will be his 100th as a Railer.
  • Following Friday night’s game, the Railers had the following scoring streaks and droughts:
    • Ryan Verrier is without a point in his last three games.
    • Joey Cipollone extended his point streak to four games. (2-2-4)
    • Brendan Robbins ended a six-game scoring drought with a goal and an assist.
    • Ashton Calder extended his point streak to six games. (4-8-12)
    • Keeghan Howdeshell is without a point in his last four games.
    • Riley Piercey is without a point in his last three games.
    • Artyom Kulakov is without a point in his last four games.


Highlights


Notable Tweets as the Game Happened


Railers Lines


Lions Lines


Joey Cipollone goal (1-0 Railers)


Joe Vrbetic save


Matthew Boucher goal (Tied at 1)


Matthew Boucher goal (2-1 Lions)


Anthony Repaci goal (Tied at 2)


Chris Ortiz goal (3-2 Lions)


Alex-Olivier Voyer goal (4-2 Lions)


Brendan Robbins goal (4-3 Lions)


Andrei Bakanov goal (Tied at 4)


Josh Muse OT save