Game Story


Orlando, FL — The Worcester Railers dropped the first game of their southern road trip 3-2 to the Orlando Solar Bears on Monday night.

Cole Ceci made his debut as a Railer and registered 22 saves. Brandon Halverson faced Worcester for the first time since December 28, 2018, making 33 saves. Worcester’s goals were scored by Riley Piercey and Ryan Dickinson, with Dickinson netting his first professional goal. Orlando’s goals came from Darik Angeli and Jérémie Biakabutuka. Blade Jenkins’ impressive nine-game point streak came to an end after scoring 17 points in nine games.

The Railers’ first matchup against a south division team was a physical one. Referee Trevor Wohlford let a number of calls go throughout the game while calling two weak penalties in the second period, leading to a couple of scrums and a fight between Joey Cipollone and Luke Boka in the second period. Jack Quinlivan and Ryan Verrier each had big hits behind the Railers net in the second period, Quinlivan shook it off while Ryan Verrier headed to the locker room and did not return after his.

It was a neck-and-neck game between the Railers and the Solar Bears, after Orlando broke the scoreless tie at 14:49, the Railers scored 35 seconds later, then Orlando regained the lead 21 seconds after that. With Connor Welsh sitting for a slashing call, Darik Angeli scored his first of the night after he and Mitchell Hoelscher got behind the Railers defense, and went head-to-head at the crease of Cole Ceci. Riley Piercey tied it up 35 seconds later, when Brandon Halverson misplayed the puck behind his net, setting Piercey up for an easy goal with Halverson out of his net. Tyler Bird got around Artyom Kulakov and Andrei Bakanov to set up Jérémie Biakabutuka to bring the game to 2-1 at 15:45, where Orlando would end up leading with that score after twenty minutes.

Ryan Dickinson buried the puck between the face-off circles to even the score at 13:49 in the second period. Worcester outshot Orlando 15-11 in the period and despite having a man advantage for four minutes, they were unable to get the go-ahead goal.

Darik Angeli scored again at 9:39 in the third period on a one-timer slapshot from the right circle to give Orlando the 3-2 lead. The Railers outshot Orlando 14-4 in the third period, and were unable to even the score again after Ceci was pulled for the extra attacker, playing dump and chase while Orlando did everything put score on the empty net. None of the 14 shots made by Worcester were made during the 6-on-4 advantage leading into the buzzer.

The three stars of the game were:

  1. Darik Angeli (Orlando) – 2 goals
  2. Mitchell Hoelscher (Orlando) – 2 assists
  3. Brandon Halverson (Orlando) – win, 33 saves, 0.943 SV%

This game was the only game played on Monday, they’ll meet again on Thursday, which will also be the only ECHL game played on that day.

Puck drops again at 7 p.m. on Thursday night.


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Box Score


Scoring 1 2 3 T
1 1 0 2
2 0 1 3
Shots 1 2 3 T
6 15 14 35
10 11 4 25
Score Team Time Scored by Assisted by Type
0 – 1 14:49 – 1st D. Angeli (3) M. Hoelscher, A. Luchuk PP
1 – 1 15:24 – 1st R. Piercey (4) A. Calder, J. Pivonka
1 – 2 15:45 – 1st J. Biakabutuka (4) T. Bird, M. Hoelscher
2 – 2 13:49 – 2nd R. Dickinson (1) R. Piercey
2 – 3 9:39 – 3rd D. Angeli (4) A. Frye

Rosters

# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 30 C. Ceci 0 0 0 0 0
G 40 J. Muse 0 0 0 0 0
D 3 R. Verrier 0 0 0 1 2
D 8 C. Krygier 0 0 -1 1 2
D 10 T. Cosgrove 0 0 +1 2 0
F 11 A. Bakanov 0 0 -1 0 0
F 12 J. Cipollone 0 0 -2 2 7
F 13 J. Pivonka 0 1 +2 1 0
F 16 A. Calder 0 1 +2 2 0
F 17 K. Howdeshell 0 0 -1 1 0
F 19 B. Jenkins 0 0 0 4 0
F 23 T. Goehring 0 0 -1 2 0
F 24 J. Quinlivan 0 0 -1 3 0
D 25 R. Dickinson 1 0 +1 1 2
D 26 C. Welsh 0 0 -1 5 2
F 29 R. Piercey 1 1 +2 3 0
F 44 A. Callin 0 0 0 4 2
F 81 A. Repaci 0 0 0 2 0
D 88 A. Kulakov 0 0 0 1 2
Team:
Totals: 2 3 0 35 19
Player MIN SH SVS GA SV%
30 C. Ceci (L) – 25 22 3 –
Totals: – 25 22 3 –
# Player G A +/- SH PIM
G 31 B. Halverson 0 0 0 0 0
G 35 E. Fitzpatrick 0 0 0 0 0
D 2 Z. Massicotte 0 0 +1 0 0
D 3 J. Biakabutuka 1 0 +1 3 0
D 6 A. Malmström 0 0 0 1 0
F 7 T. Bird 0 1 +1 1 4
F 9 B. Low 0 0 0 0 2
F 11 D. Walker 0 0 -1 1 0
F 12 T. Schachle 0 0 +1 2 2
F 18 D. Angeli 2 0 +1 5 0
D 20 K. Gosselin 0 0 -1 0 0
F 28 A. Frye 0 1 +1 0 0
F 29 M. Hoelscher 0 2 +1 5 0
F 43 K. Bent 0 0 -1 0 6
D 59 B. Carroll 0 0 0 0 0
F 61 L. Boka 0 0 -1 1 5
F 71 J. Jacques 0 0 -1 6 0
D 77 J. Mazza 0 0 -1 0 0
F 91 A. Luchuk 0 1 -1 0 0
Team:
Totals: 3 5 0 25 19
Player MIN SH SVS GJ SV%
31 B. Halverson (W) – 35 33 2 –
Totals: – 35 33 2 –

Penalties

Time Team Player Mins Infraction
2:58 – 1st K. Bent 2 Interference – minor (56.2)
13:41 – 1st C. Welsh 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
18:43 – 1st J. Cipollone 2 Slashing – minor (61.2)
19:04 – 1st R. Verrier 2 High-sticking – minor (60.2)
8:32 – 2nd J. Cipollone 5 Fighting – Major (46.14)
8:32 – 2nd A. Kulakov 2 Roughing – minor (51.2)
8:32 – 2nd T. Bird 4 Double Minor – Roughing
8:32 – 2nd L. Boka 5 Fighting – Major (46.14)
11:09 – 2nd K. Bent 2 Hooking – minor (55.2)
14:51 – 2nd R. Dickinson 2 Tripping – minor (57.2)
17:20 – 2nd C. Krygier 2 Tripping – minor (57.2)
02:43 – 3rd A. Callin 2 Roughing – minor (51.2)
02:43 – 3rd K. Bent 2 Roughing – minor (51.2)
11:08 – 3rd T. Schachle 2 High-Sticking – minor (60.2)
11:08 – 3rd B. Low 2 Hooking – minor (55.2)


Notes

  • Worcester Scratches: Brendan Robbins, John Copeland, Tristan Lennox, Zach White, and Zsombor Garat.
  • Orlando Scratches: Avery Winslow, Chays Ruddy, Jaydon Dureau, Ryan Mahshie, and Tanner Dickinson.
  • Ryan Verrier left Monday’s game after a big hit behind the net of Cole Ceci in the second period. He made his way back to the Railers bench, but was ultimately helped back to the dressing room after the next stoppage of play, and did not return.
  • Solar Bears wore a “diamond” specialty jersey, which is was just their home white jersey with a diamond texture on the white of the numbers and fabric of the jersey, no charity was announced but featured shoulder patches of a local jeweler. The Railers are traveling with two sets of jerseys and wore blue on Monday.
  • Following Monday’s game, the Railers had the following scoring streaks and droughts:
    • Ryan Verrier is without a point in his last five games.
    • Andrei Bakanov is without a point in his last four games.
    • Joey Cipollone is without a point in his last four games.
    • Jake Pivonka is on a three-game point streak. (3-2-5)
    • Keeghan Howdeshell is without a point in his last five games.
    • Blade Jenkins snapped a nine-game point streak. (11-6-17)
    • Todd Goehring is without a point in his last four games.
    • Jack Quinlivan is without a point in his last three games.
    • Ryan Dickinson snapped an eight game scoring drought with his first pro goal.

Railers Lines

Forward Lines LW C RW
Forward Line 1 Anthony Repaci #81 Blade Jenkins #19 Anthony Callin #44
Forward Line 2 Riley Piercey #29 Jake Pivonka #13 Ashton Calder #16
Forward Line 3 Keeghan Howdeshell #17 Joey Cipollone #12 Jack Quinlivan #24
Rotated Forwards Andrei Bakanov #11 – Todd Goehring #23
Defensive Pairings LD RD
Defense Pair 1 Trevor Cosgrove #10 Ryan Dickinson #25
Defense Pair 2 Ryan Verrier #3 Artyom Kulakov #88
Defense Pair 3 Connor Welsh #26 Christian Krygier #8
Rotated Defensemen – –
Goalie Tandem G
Starting Goaltender Cole Ceci #30
Backup Goaltender John Muse #40

Opponent Lines

Forward Lines LW C RW
Forward Line 1 Alex Frye #28 Mitchell Hoelscher #29 Darik Angeli #18
Forward Line 2 Aaron Luchuk #91 Brayden Low #9 Jesse Jacques #71
Forward Line 3 Tanner Schachle #12 Luke Boka #61 Tyler Bird #7
Rotated Forwards Daniel Walker #11 Kelly Bent #43 –
Defensive Pairings LD RD
Defense Pair 1 Anton Malmström #6 Ben Carroll #59
Defense Pair 2 Zachary Massicotte #2 Jérémie Biakabutuka #3
Defense Pair 3 Kurt Gosselin #20 Jimmy Mazza #77
Rotated Defensemen – –
Goalie Tandem G
Starting Goaltender Brandon Halverson #31
Backup Goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick #35

On-Ice Officials

– –
Referee Trevor Wohlford (38)
Referee –
Linesman Logan Berkowitz (68)
Linesman Brady Fagan (89)




Notable Tweets as the Game Happened


Railers Lines


Solar Bears Lines


Darik Angeli goal (1-0 Solar Bears)


Riley Piercey goal (Tied at 1)


Jérémie Biakabutuka (goal (Solar Bears lead 2-1)


Ryan Dickinson goal (Tied at 2)