The Worcester Railers took on the Adirondack Thunder Tuesday in an Election Day matinee and wasted a 52-save performance by Henrik Tikkanen in a 4-3 shootout loss. Those 52 saves are a new Railers record for a home game.
This writer wasn’t at the game, and checking out the box score the Thunder scored twice in the opening frame. Since they tweeted the goals, I’ll post them, but feel free to scroll on by them.
In the second period the Railers would grab the next two.
Unfortunately, the frame would see one more Thunder goal.
To the third the teams went, with Worcester getting the only goal to tie it and send it to overtime.
After a scoreless overtime the squads went to the shootout and based on my messages and DM many fans thought that Adirondack forward Yushiroh Hirano skated backwards on his shootout attempt, which isn’t allowed. The video is pretty clear he doesn’t, and this is a good goal.
Adirondack was also nice enough to tweet out Worcester’s disallowed goal in overtime, and again, this is the correct call by referee Michael Zyla.
GAME NOTES
Scratches for the Railers were Artyom Kulakov, Jack Quinlivan (IR/unknown), Anthony Repaci (lower body), Quin Ryan, and Jake Schultz. Triston Lennox was the backup goaltender. A minion reports that Christian Krygier left the game early in the second period with a hand/wrist injury, and did not return. They also report that Riley Piercey also left the game injured, possibly in the second period, and wasn’t seen during the third frame.
Looking back again at the Railers’ painful loss on Saturday referees Andrew Bell and Trevor Wohlford missed far more calls than just the almost phantom-like tripping call on Zach White in overtime. It’s too late to send the video in, but Adirondack’s Yushiroh Hirano slew foots Zsombor Garat with 6:11 to go in the first period, clearly in view of the camera. Both refs missed it, and because slew footing is a match penalty both linesmen could have also reported the incident to the referees for punishment. Neither did. All four officials also missed Blade Jenkins taking out the knees of Tristan Thompson with just under three minutes left in the third. The Thunder got the last laugh on that one though as Ryan Smith scored on the other end skating essentially shorthanded to make it a 4-4 game.
The Worcester Railers Booster Club is hosting a comedy night on November 11, 2023, at the 200 Sportsman Club in Sutton, Mass. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased on the “Comedy for Cash” website. If you can’t make it, there is also a donation link on that webpage. As usual, you can make a donation to the Booster Club any time online at this page or on gamedays at the Booster Club table behind section 109.
The three stars of the game were:
1. ADK – 48 Erik Middendorf
2. WOR – 10 Trevor Cosgrove
3. WOR – 39 Henrik Tikkanen
The 210Sports Player of the Game was Ashton Calder.
Even Strength Lines
Jenkins / Pivonka / Calder
Goodsir / Cipollone / Callin
Bakanov / Robbins / White
Piercey / X / Howdeshell
Welsh / Cosgrove
Krygier / Copeland
Verrier / Garat
Our affiliates last night
No games
In the ECHL’s North Division
No games
BOX SCORE
Adirondack 2 1 0 0 – 4
Worcester 0 2 1 0 – 3
1st Period-1, Adirondack, Middendorf 3 (Stief, Jozefek), 11:32 (PP). 2, Adirondack, Hirano 2 13:14. Penalties-MacKinnon Adk (cross-checking), 8:00; Cipollone Wor (interference), 10:37; Felix Adk (tripping), 20:00.
2nd Period-3, Worcester, Pivonka 4 (Welsh), 1:48 (PP). 4, Worcester, Calder 4 (Bakanov, Cosgrove), 16:38. 5, Adirondack, Smith 4 (Friedmann, Jozefek), 17:26. Penalties-Grasso Adk (roughing), 9:39; Copeland Wor (roughing), 9:39.
3rd Period-6, Worcester, Callin 1 (Cosgrove), 3:30 (PP). Penalties-Engaras Adk (interference), 3:08; Jenkins Wor (hooking), 13:40; Pivonka Wor (delay of game), 19:16.
1st OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties
Shootout – Adirondack 2 (Hirano G, Jozefek NG, Middendorf G), Worcester 1 (Pivonka G, Calder NG, White NG).
Shots on Goal-Adirondack 16-13-19-7-1-56. Worcester 9-4-7-8-0-28.
Power Play Opportunities-Adirondack 1 / 3; Worcester 2 / 3.
Goalies-Adirondack, Purpura 2-0-1-0 (28 shots-25 saves). Worcester, Tikkanen 1-2-0-1 (55 shots-52 saves).
A-1,285
Referees-Michael Zyla (34).
Linesmen-Matthew Heinen (93), Laura Schmidlein (82).
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