1995 vs Hershey 3-1 loss
The IceCats scored the first goal of the game when John Carter scored at 9:42 of the opening period, with the assist going to Denis Chalifoux. But that was all the scoring for Worcester as Bob Wilkie (10:28) and Mitch Lamoureux (16:59) both scored second period goals and Shawn Anderson added a third period empty net goal for the 3-1 final. Wayne Cowley had 28 saves in the game.
1996 at Portland 3-2 win OT
The Worcester IceCats fell behind by two goals but managed to get the game into overtime where Sergei Kharin connected on the power play to give the ‘Cats a 3-2 win over the Pirates. Portland had a two goal lead after 40 minutes on a first period tally by Jay Mazur at 4:24 of the first period and a second period power play goal by Jeff Nelson at 18:16. Marquis Mathieu began the comeback with a goal 56 seconds into the third period, assisted by Kharin. With an extra attacker on for a delayed penalty call Derek Armstrong tied the game at 5:40, with Steve Staios and Kevin Sawyer getting the helpers. With Steve Poapst in the penalty box for a late third period trip Kharin got the game winner at 1:17 of overtime, assisted by Jamie Rivers and Fred Knipscheer. Mike Buzak made 31 saves for the win on his 23rd birthday.
1999 vs Fredericton 3-1 loss
The Worcester IceCats fired 42 shots on Canadiens netminder Mathieu Garon but could only beat him once is a 3-1 loss to Fredericton. Arron Asham gave the Canadiens a 1-0 lead with a power play goal at 17:40 of the opening period. In the second period Dan Corso tied the game with a power play goal for the ‘Cats at 2:42, assisted by Kevin Sawyer and Shayne Toporowski. At 14:45 Eric Houde gave Fredericton their lead back. Marc Beaucage added an empty net power play goal at 19:35 for the 3-1 final. Brent Johnson made 20 saves in the loss.
2001 vs Springfield 4-1 win
The Worcester IceCats scored the final three goals of the game in a 4-1 win over the Falcons. Andrei Troschinsky got the ‘Cats on the board at 9:55 of the first period with a goal assisted by Mark Rycroft and Shawn Mamane. Trent Hunter tied the score at 12:44 of the middle period on the power play, but Pascal Rheaume answered right back at 15:06 to make it 2-1 IceCats. Eric Boguniecki had the lone assist on the goal. Mike Peluso made it a two goal lead at 17:56, with Vladimir Chebaturkin and Jaroslav Obsut helping. In the third period Boguniecki closed out the scoring at 17:36 on the power play, with Matt Walker picking up helper. Dwayne Roloson had 35 saves in the win. During the game Chebaturkin was called for two separate high-sticking majors
2002 at Lowell 5-1 win
The Worcester IceCats did just about everything you’re supposed to do to win a hockey game in their 5-1 victory over the Lock Monsters. Dale Clarke opened the scoring at 13:07 with a blue line slap shot through traffic that beat Lowell netminder Jean-Marc Pelletier. Less than a minute later, Marc Brown made it 2-0. Jaroslav Svoboda cut the ‘Cats lead in half at 14:50 of the middle stanza. Early in the third period Matt Walker made it 3-1 with a 100-foot slap shot from center ice that Pelletier just flat out missed catching. Eric Boguniecki then scored into what was essentially an open net with Pelletier getting caught out of the crease, and Andrei Troschinsky added a late goal for the 5-1 final. Cody Rudkowsky earned the win in net.
2007 at Manchester 3-0 loss
(MONARCHS) The Manchester Monarchs earned their 11th consecutive win by beating the Worcester Sharks in front of a sell out crowd of 9,932 fans in the second game of a three-game home-stand with a shutout performance by goaltender Barry Brust. Manchester (33-12-6-1) is leading the Atlantic Division with 73 points. Worcester (24-18-3-6) is ranked fourth in the Atlantic Division with 57 points. Manchester went fishing at 14:31 of the first period with center Shay Stephenson’s fifth goal of the season. Right wing Lauri Tukonen dug the puck out from behind the Sharks net and passed it out in front. The rubber disk bounced off of center Matt Ryan’s skate and turned on its edge. Stephenson took the backhand shot, fluttering the puck over Sharks goaltender Thomas Greiss’ right shoulder into the left corner of the net. Defenseman Kevin Dallman reeled in his second goal in as many games since joining the Monarchs on Friday. At 8:23 of the second period, left wing Noah Clarke controlled the puck along the right wing boards and passed it to center Marty Murray deep in Sharks’ territory. Murray’s saucer pass was deflected into the net by Dallman, lighting the lamp for a 2-0 lead. Less than a minute later at 9:04, the Monarchs capitalized while on a power play. Defenseman Brendan Buckley picked up a pass from defenseman Doug Nolan and hammered a shot on Greiss. Stephenson, screening the Shark’s netminder, redirected the shot five-hole and tallied his second goal of the evening, sixth of his season. Brust earned his first shutout of the season and third of his Monarchs career. He stopped all 34 shots from the Sharks for the win. The Monarchs have gone 114 minutes and 12 seconds without a point scored through the last three games. The last goal Manchester allowed was on Saturday, February 3 at the 15:48 of the second period to the Providence Bruins. Brust earned the win in a 34 saves. Greiss took the loss for the Sharks stopping 33 of 36 shots. Manchester went 1-for- 6 on the power play. Worcester was 0-for-8 with the man advantage.
2008 at Hershey 6-4 loss
(WORSHARKS) After Worcester took the early lead, the Hershey Bears scored three consecutive goals, proving to be too much as the Sharks fell, 6-4, on Sunday at the Giant Center in Hershey PA. In his return to Worcester, Thomas Greiss made 27 saves on 32 shots. Two of Hershey’s goals deflected off Sharks skates while two others were scored from behind the net. Meanwhile, Hershey goaltender Daren Machesney stopped 26 of 30 shots. Worcester remains seven points behind Springfield for the fourth and final playoff spot and four behind Manchester for fifth. The Sharks had an early opportunity to take the lead and wouldn’t disappoint. As a delayed penalty to Jay Beagle was being called, Worcester held possession for 20 seconds. After putting numerous opportunities on goal, Hershey was finally able to gain control. On the ensuing faceoff, the Sharks kept the momentum going as the puck skipped to Tom Walsh at the center point. He put a wrist shot toward the net with Graham Mink camped in front of Machesney. Mink made the tip past Machesney for the 1-0 lead at 2:24 of the first period. Mink’s 13th goal of the season came only eight seconds into the man advantage. Walsh and Mike Iggulden were credited with the assists on the play. Hershey returned the favor less than three minutes later at 4:49. On its first power play, they put a barrage of shots on Greiss. After three sensational saves, Beagle poked the puck into the net to tie the score at one. Like Mink’s goal, Beagle’s was only eight seconds into the power play opportunity. Andrew Gordon and Sami Lepisto were credited with the assists. Midway through the first period, the Bears had a golden opportunity to take their first lead. Ryan Flinn made a crisp pass to Scott Barney, who had Greiss down, but shot the puck wide. Worcester made Hershey pay when they took the 2-1 advantage at 13:06 of the first period. Riley Armstrong found himself at the blue line when he passed to Tom Cavanagh down the right wing side. Cavanagh threw the puck in front of the net and Devin Setoguchi tipped it past Machesney for his second goal in as many games since returning from San Jose. The Bears quickly answered 2:07 later at 15:13 to tie the score at two. Greiss took a holding penalty to negate the Sharks’ second power play. Playing four-on-four hockey, Setoguchi took a shot in the right wing circle. The long rebound sprung the Bears on a two-on-one. Breaking down the right wing side, Joe Motzko had Kyle Wilson in front of the net. The centering attempt deflected off Sharks’ defenseman Brennan Evans and past Greiss, tying the score for the second time of the period. Hershey held the 13-7 shot advantage after one. The Bears took its first lead of the game at 6:36 of the second period via Beagle’s second goal of the game. Beagle carried the puck down the left wing side around Sharks defenseman Patrick Traverse. Beagle backhanded the puck toward the net. It deflected off a Sharks skate and in for the second time, making the score 3-2 in favor of the Bears. Josef Boumedienne and Lepisto were credited with the assists. Over ten minutes later, Barney gave Hershey insurance at 17:08. With Cavanagh defending behind the net, Barney was on his knees and attempted a wraparound. It deflected off the skates of a surprised Greiss to make it 4-2. Andrew Joudrey and Lepisto picked up the assists. For Lepisto, it marked his third helper of the game. Worcester answered by picking up a crucial goal, cutting the lead to one at 18:47. Evans kept the puck in nicely at the point. Traverse’s subsequent shot was saved, but the rebound bounced right to Nate Raduns who was behind the goal line on the right wing side. He banked the puck off a sprawling Machesney and in for his tenth of the season. Any momentum gathered by the Sharks went out the door 33 seconds as Greiss was haunted by another chance from behind the net. Motzko was the culprit this time, deflecting the puck off Greiss for his second goal of the game, making it 5-3 at 19:20 of the second period. The Bears outshot the Sharks, 12-9, in the period and held the 25-16 lead after two. Less than five minutes into the third period, the Sharks nearly cut the lead to one. Iggulden had the initial shot, which was stopped. The puck went behind Machesney. As he attempted to fall back on it, Dan Spang had an opportunity to light the lamp, but shot the puck wide. The Sharks got back into the game at 11:49. With Spang in the penalty box for cross-checking, T.J. Fox picked an opportune time to score Worcester’s fourth shorthanded goal of the season. Fox stole the puck and started a break down the left wing side. After passing back and forth with Dennis Packard, he threw the puck to Traverse, who gave it right back to him. Fox brought the puck in front of the net and with Machesney down, beat him with his backhand. Worcester continued with numerous opportunities, but couldn’t light the lamp another time. With Greiss pulled for an extra attacker, Ben Clymer scored an empty net goal from center ice for the 6-4 final.
2012 vs Manchester 3-1 loss
(WORSHARKS) Jack Combs scored his 9th goal of the season for the only strike for the Sharks in a 3-1 in loss to the Manchester Monarchs at the DCU Center on Friday night. Harri Sateri made 25 saves in goal for Worcester as coach Roy Sommer was denied his 500th AHL victory on home ice. The Sharks travel to Hershey on Saturday for a 7pm battle against the Bears. Manchester Monarch Stefan Legein (7th) scored a power play goal on a deflected rebound at the side of the net at 8:54 for the only score in a rather eventful first period. Tim Kennedy, making his home debut for the Sharks, was stopped by Jeff Zatkoff on a penalty shot at 11:47 to keep the Sharks off the board. Two good scraps highlighted a feisty first period as Jimmy Bonneau (16th FM) and Justin Johnson (16th FM) fought each other for the 5th time this season at 2:32 and Curt Gogol (14th FM) dropped the mitts at 14:40 with Richard Clune (14th FM), The Sharks trailed 1-0 after 20 minutes with the Monarchs holding a 13-8 shot advantage. Brandon Kozun (13th) gave Manchester a 2-0 edge just :53 seconds in the second period with a blast from on top of the circles past Harri Sateri. Matt Pelech (7th FM) tried to jump start the Sharks with a heavy hit on Marc-Andre Cliché and eventual fight with Jordan Hill (3rd FM) at 11:29. Worcester was held shotless in the first 18 minutes of the middle frame, but after Andrew Murray’s shot on the power play was stopped by Jeff Zatkoff, Jack Combs (9th) slammed home a loose puck to get the Sharks on the board at 18:42. The Sharks fired only two shots in the middle frame but trailed by only a goal after 40 minutes. Stefan Legein (8th) put the game away for the Monarchs with a breakaway shorthanded goal at 7:07 of the third period for a 3-1 Monarchs advantage. Worcester fired eight shots in the third period but Jeff Zatkoff shut the door shut the rest of the way.
2018 vs Brampton 5-3 win
(RAILERS) The Worcester Railers HC (21-20-4-2, 48pts) wrapped up their season long eleven game homestand with a 5-3 win over the visiting Brampton Beast (17-22-5-3, 42pts) in front of 4,849 fans at the DCU Center on PINK in the RINK on Saturday evening. Barry Almeida (2-2-4) and Chris Langkow (2-1-3) had big games for Worcester while Eamon McAdam made 23 saves for his 13th win of the season as the Railers finished 6-4-1-0 on their season long eleven game homestand. Matt Lane also scored for Worcester as the Railers ended the home stand with a big win. For just the second time this season, the Railers scored three goals in the first period with three strikes within a 5:01 stretch in the second half of the period. Chris Langkow (12th) scored shorthanded after a terrific feed by Barry Almeida on a 2-on-1 rush at 12:07 to give the Railers a 1-0 lead. Langkow returned the favor and set up Almeida (14th) at 16:05 to give the Railers a 2-0 edge. Matt Lane (7th) banged home a Ben Masella rebound past Andrew D’Agostini at 17:08 to give the Railers a 3-0 advantage and would end the night for the Brampton netminder. Worcester led 3-0 through 20 minutes and held a 15-7 shot advantage. Worcester went ahead 4-0 as Chris Langkow (13th) picked up his second of the game as he broke down the rightwing side and snapped a quick shot past Carmine Guerriero at 8:24 of the second period. The Beast got on the board at 12:58 as Jackson Leef (2nd) walked in from the left point and zapped a shot from 40 feet past Eamon McAdam. Worcester led 4-1 after 40 minutes of play and held a 22-15 shot advantage. Brampton made it interesting with a pair of goals late in the third period as Stefan Fournier (12th) scored in his third straight game at 15:24 and Reggie Traccitto (10th) picked up his third point of the night with a shorthanded goal at 18:02. Barry Almeida (15th) picked up 4th point of the night with an assisted empty net goal to give the Railers a 5-3 home victory.
2019 vs Cincinnati 4-3 OTL
(RAILERS) The Worcester Railers HC (21-20-4-3, 49pts) concluded a 3-in-3 home weekend with a 4-3 overtime loss to the visiting Cincinnati Cyclones (32-9-3-3, 70pts) in front of 4,602 fans at the DCU Center on Sunday afternoon. The Railers trailed 3-0 early in the second period before Ryan Hitchcock, Tyler Barnes, and Josh Holmstrom all scored for Worcester to force overtime. Evan Buitenhuis made 30 saves in net while Tyler Barnes set a Worcester pro hockey record with a goal in seven straight games as he netted his 20th of the season and extended his point streak to a franchise record nine games (9-3-12) in the overtime loss. Brady Vail won the game for the Cyclones at 2:39 of the extra frame while Jonas Johansson made 21 saves in net for the win. Cincinnati would score twice on their first two shots on goal in the first period as Vasili Glotov (9th) broke down the rightwing side and cut through the top of the crease at 1:54 and Myles Powell (19th) finished off an odd man rush at 5:27 to put Worcester down by two. Play was relatively even the rest of the period as the Railers outshot the Cyclones 7-5 through 20 minutes of play. The Cyclones went ahead 3-0 at 6:50 of the second period as Mitch Jones (3rd) got credited with a goal after the puck was fired to the front of the net from the right corner and banked off a body in front of the cage and into the cage. The Railers broke through at 15:39 after Bo Brauer caused a turnover in the offensive zone and Ryan Hitchcock (8th) skated through two defensemen from in tight and snapped a quick shot top shelf over the shoulder of goaltender Jonas Johansson. A ten-player scrum occurred after the final horn in the period as the Cyclones held a 20-16 shot advantage and a 3-1 lead through 40 minutes. Tyler Barnes (20th) drove to the net after a great give and go by Ryan Hitchcock and Ryan MacKinnon at 7:17 of the third period to give him a goal in a Worcester pro hockey record 7th straight game. Worcester would tie the score at 3-3 after a Tyler Mueller shot from the left wall deflected off Josh Holmstrom (11th) in front and trickled through the netminder and just over the goal line at 15:46 to force overtime. Shots were 11-8 in favor of Cincinnati in the third period. In overtime, the Railers killed off a power play chance before Brady Vail (17th) ripped a laser from 30 feet just inside the crossbar from the left side at 2:39 to give the Cyclones the 4-3 overtime road win.
2023 vs Reading 4-3 OT win
(RAILERS) About two hours before the puck was dropped at the DCU Center Friday night, Railers coach Jordan Smotherman was asked to list the players not in the lineup because of injury. He grabbed a magic marker and drew big dots next to some names on the lineup sheet. When Smotherman was done, the Railers roster looked like it had come down with chicken pox. Minus 10 players and outshot by 43-17, Worcester prevailed in overtime anyway. The Railers beat the Reading Royals, 4-3, on Jimmy Lambert’s breakaway goal at 1:16 of the fourth period. It was a four-point night for Lambert, the only Worcester pro player ever born in Great Britain. His other three points were assists on Anthony Repaci’s hat trick, the Railers’ second of the season and the second of his pro career. The victory was not the Railers’ first of the season, but it was probably Worcester’s best character triumph. “It absolutely was,” Smotherman said. “We talked to the guys before the game and asked them to really step it up and they did.” Repaci scored at 4:47 and 9:16 of the first period, then finally 36 seconds after the start of the second. The hat trick was Worcester’s second this season and ninth all-time, 10th counting Nick Saracino’s in the 2017-18 playoffs. It is a very good strategy. The Railers have never lost a game when one of their players scores a trifecta. Repaci went nine games without a goal from Dec. 21 to Jan. 27, but has five in his last six games. “We’ve had some leadership really soar in the last couple of games,” Smotherman said, “and with Repaci getting the hat trick, that’s easy to say, but the way he’s been playing lately without the puck is the biggest difference.” The goals moved Repaci past Ross Olsson into second place on the franchise’s all-time list with 35. Repaci has 35 in 98 games. Olsson had 33 in 99 including a couple of hat tricks. Barry Almeida is the all-time leader by a lot with 60 goals.
“It’s just the game of hockey,” Repaci said of his hot streak. “You look at even the hottest players in the NHL, the great goal scorers, and sometimes you’re hot, sometimes you’re not. You’ve just got to stick with it. That’s the biggest thing. I did my best not to get frustrated when the chances weren’t going in. “The good thing is you’re getting chances.” Once again Henrik Tikkanen was superb. Worcester has been outshot by 95-40 in the last two games, both against Reading, and come away with four points. He used all of his 6-foot-8 frame to make saves, including his mouth. Tikkanen took a shot off the mask 16 seconds into the second period and wound up losing parts of two front teeth. The rookie looked like a Finnish piranha as he smiled after the game. Lambert has been fabulous since coming down from Bridgeport. This has helped the Railers win, but may get him back up to the American Hockey League soon. Ah, the connundrum of the ECHL. Lambert is 3-6-9 in three games since returning to Worcester. The Railers are 18-5-1 overall this season when he is in the lineup. Reading got two goals from Charlie Gerard and one from Mason Millman. Gerard’s power play goal at 14:36 of the third period eventually sent things into overtime where Lambert scored on the Railers’ only shot. Brent Beaudoin found him alone on the left side and Lambert flashed into the Reading zone where he snapped a high backhander past Nolan Maier. Overtime has been a good time for the Railers this season. They are 5-3 in OT plus 2-0 when it goes to a shootout. Aside from the injured list, Worcester lost Blake Christensen to better money in Europe. He was suspended so the Railers could retain his rights. However, Worcester got Jacob Hayhurst back from Springfield and he made an immediate impact as he helped set up Repaci’s second goal. The Railers replenished the roster by signing defenseman Tim Faulkner and forward Paul Boutoussov, both rookies, and both in the lineup Friday night. Boutoussov, from Babson, made his pro debut. “I have to give him a shout-out,” Smotherman said, “for coming in from a desk and a men’s league and giving us a really good performance.” The newcomer was one of several Railers in the right time and right place to produce the right result. MAKING TRACKS – The Railers got the benefit of video replay on what would have been Reading’s third goal at 4:14 of the third period. Referee Trevor Wohlford ruled that Tikkanen, who was flat on his stomach when Millman shot the puck in, had been interfered with. … After losing nine straight to Reading, Worcester has beaten the Royals four in a row. … Noah Delmas returned to the lineup after a six-game absence. … Christensen played 71 games in two seasons here, almost exactly the equivalent of a full season. He was 26-25-51 in those games. … The Railers and Royals meet again at the DCU Center Saturday night. … Figure this one out — the 52 shots Worcester allowed in Reading last Tuesday were the third highest in franchise history. The Railers are 3-0-0 in those games. … The Royals Booster Club took a bus up from Pennsylvania and its members were a noticeable presence in the building. They will be at Saturday’s game, also. … Attendance was 3,049.
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