Game Story

Glens Falls, NY – The Worcester Railers and Adirondack Thunder played Game 5 of the North Division Semi-Finals on Saturday.

As many Railers at both the game and watching at the Railers Tavern agree, this game was one of the most exciting and one the most fun games to watch in the 21 years of Worcester hockey.

Railers scored one goal in the first period, followed by three unanswered goals by Adirondack to close it out. Josh Holmstrom scored the first Railers goal 35 seconds into the game, the fastest goal to start a game in a Worcester playoff game. Adirondack scored goals by Ryan Schmelzer (PP), Mike Bergin, and Shane Conacher (PP) within minutes of each other in the middle of the first, giving them a 4-1 lead through the first period. Adirondack outshot Worcester 10-7 after twenty minutes.

Adirondack Goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood left in the first period at 1:39, after being injured on a play where Kellen Jones was tripped and consequently driven into him. Olivier Mantha came in to replace him.

Railers turned things around in the second period, looking like a completely different team. Adirondack’s Tim Harrison scored the only goal of the period at 5:39 off rebound. Nick Saracino scored his first goal of the night a minute and nine seconds later. Matt Gaudreau and Matt Lane picked up a pair of a goals at 11:55 and 12:55, bring the Railers back up to a 4-4 game. Railers took the shot lead to 20-18 after 40 with a tied game.

Mitch Gillam was replaced by Eamon McAdam after the allowing a fourth goal by the Thunder in the second period.

Adirondack’s Brian Ward scored nineteen seconds into the third period, giving the Thunder their second lead of the game. Nick Saracino scored two goals in the third, at 3:32 and ten and a half minutes later at 14:02. Saracino scored the Railers first-ever hat trick in the 6-5 win. Adirondack outshot Worcester after 60, 33-26.

The Three Stars of the Game were: Nick Saracino (3 goals, 1 assist), Josh Holmstrom (1 goal, 2 assists), and Brian Ward (1 goal). Mitch Gillam made 10 saves on 14 shots. Eamon McAdam made 18 saves and allowed a single goal in his relief effort.

Railers force Game 6 against the Thunder, which will take place in Worcester on Monday. Puck Drops at 7 PM.

Box Score

Scoring 1 2 3 T
Worcester Railers 1 3 2 6
Adirondack Thunder 3 1 1 5
Shots 1 2 3 T
Worcester Railers 7 13 6 26
Aidrondack Thunder 10 8 15 33
Railers Roster # Name G A +/- SH PIM
G 35 M. Gillam 0 0 0 0 0
G 39 E. McAdam 0 0 0 0 0
D 2 T. Panico 0 1 -1 2 0
D 3 B. Masella 0 0 -1 2 0
D 4 R. MacKinnon 0 1 -2 1 2
D 5 K. McKenzie 0 0 -2 0 0
F 8 M. Gaudreau 1 0 0 3 0
LW 9 K. Jones 0 1 -2 1 2
C 10 M. Lane 1 1 +1 1 0
F 11 J. Holmstrom 1 2 +1 5 0
C 16 J. Kubiak 0 0 -2 1 0
LW 18 N. Saracino 3 1 +3 4 0
F 19 B. Almeida 0 1 -1 1 0
F 20 Y. Turcotte 0 0 0 2 4
D 22 J. Hamonic 0 1 +4 1 0
F 23 W. Hudson 0 1 +1 0 0
D 28 C. Doherty 0 0 +4 1 0
F 42 D. Willick 0 0 +2 1 0
Team:
Totals: 6 10 5 26 8
No Name Min SH SVS GA
35 M. Gillam 25:49 14 10 4
39 E. McAdam (W) 34:11 19 18 1
Totals: 60:00 33 28 5
Thunder Roster # Name G A +/- SH PIM
G 29 M. Blackwood 0 0 0 0 0
G 31 O. Mantha 0 0 0 0 0
D 2 M. Bergin 1 0 -1 3 4
D 3 M. Spencer 0 0 -1 0 0
D 5 D. Olsen 0 0 +1 2 0
D 6 C. White 0 1 -1 2 0
F 8 R. Schmelzer 1 0 -1 3 2
F 9 M. Szmatula 0 0 0 1 0
F 10 T. Wallin 0 1 +2 1 0
F 15 J. Henry 0 2 -2 2 0
F 17 P. Rodrigues 0 1 0 0 0
F 19 T. Harrison 1 0 +1 3 0
F 22 B. Ward 1 0 +1 4 0
F 23 S. Conacher 1 0 -1 7 0
D 25 M. Brodeur 0 1 -1 1 0
F 27 K. Miller 0 0 -2 1 0
D 37 D. Bergin 0 1 +1 2 2
D 44 C. Riley 0 1 -1 1 0
Team:
Totals: 5 8 -5 33 8
No Name Min SH SVS GA
29 M. Blackwood 1:39 1 0 1
31 O. Mantha (L) 57:04 25 20 5
Totals: 58:43 26 20 6
P T Player M Offense Time
1st V K. Jones 2.00 Delay of Game (63.2) 5:41
1st H R. Schmelzer 2.00 Holding – minor (54.2) 8:17
1st V Y. Turcotte 2.00 Boarding – minor (41.2) 11:04
1st V R. MacKinnon 2.00 Slashing – minor (61.2) 19:23
2nd H M. Bergin 2.00 Hooking – minor (55.2) 10:31
2nd H M. Bergin 2.00 Roughing – minor (51.2) 17:46
3rd V Y. Turcotte 2.00 Charging minor (42.2) 6:31
3rd H D. Bergin 2.00 Holding – minor (54.2)

Notes

  • Railers Scratches: Frankie DiChiara, Connor Doherty, Chris Langkow, and Jake Randolph.
  • Thunder Scratches: Drew Fielding, Pierre – Luc Mercier, Austin Orszulak, and Blake Thompson.
  • Nick Saracino picked up the Railers’ first-ever hat trick in Railers’ history on Saturday. His hat trick was also the first playoff hat trick in Worcester Pro Hockey history.
  • The Railers-Thunder series is the only series in the Eastern Conference that hasn’t resulted in a sweep. The Toledo Walleye-Indy Fuel series in the Western Conference is the only series to result in a sweep.
  • The Railers Booster Club made the bus trip up to Glens Falls for Saturday’s game. Roughly 50 boosters made the trip, organized in the days before the game.
  • Former Worcester Shark and Worcester Railers Rival Matt Willows announced his retirement from hockey on Saturday. Willows was Reading Royals’ top goal scorer during the 2017-18 season, and was one of the more notable opponents for the Railers this season. Willows will be headed back to school for his Master’s Degree at Mathattanville College, where he will serve as the Assistant Coach for the Men’s Hockey team.

Railers Lines (Observed by order in which they appeared):

LW C RW
Forward Line 1  K. Jones #9 “A”  J. Kubiak #16  B. Almeida #19 “A”
Forward Line 2  N. Saracino #18  M. Lane #10  J. Holmstrom #11
Forward Line 3  M. Gaudreau #8  D. Willick #42  W. Hudson #23 / Y. Turcotte #20
LD RD
Defense Line 1  R. MacKinnon #4  K. McKenzie #5
Defense Line 2  C. Doherty #28  J. Hamonic #22 “A”
Defense Line 3  T. Panico #2  B. Masella #3
G
Starting Goaltender  Mitch Gillam #35
Backup Goaltender  Eamon McAdam #39
Officials
Referee  Andrea Barone #15
Referee  Chris Pontes #12
Linesman  Michael Fusani #41
Linesman  Kyle Richetelle #74