When we look back at Thursday night’s Worcester Railers 5-4 win over the Newfoundland Growlers once this season is over, will we say this was the game that put them on the right track? Despite it being just the ninth game in the season this is one of those moments that could absolutely be that point.
It also could have been the game that derailed the entire campaign.
The first period was entirely Worcester’s as they outshot Newfoundland 15-3 over the twenty minutes, with two of those three Growlers’ shots coming in the last couple seconds of the frame. When the horn sounded to end the period the Railers had a 2-0 lead.
The video freezes up for a bit just before the sequence starts on the highlight posted by the Railers so we can’t see the entire play before the goal was scored, but there’s little chance the scoring on the goal, which is Blade Jenkins unassisted at 2:58, is correct.
There’s no doubt the scoring on their second goal is correct as Connor Welsh made it 2-0 on the power play at 14:26 with helpers from Jenkins and Ashton Calder.
In the second frame the shot total swung over into the Growlers’ favor, and it was Grant Cruikshank getting the home team on the board with a goal at 4:47 when his shot on Worcester netminder Tristan Lennox somehow broke through the goaltender and rolled into the net just over the goal line.
Just under five minutes later Jenkins connected on his second of the game to give his team its two-goal lead back at 9:31.
Ninety-ish seconds later Brendan Robbins made it 4-1 Worcester, and that should have been the goal that allowed the Railers to put the game comfortably in the win column.
Only, it wasn’t as Worcester did the unthinkable and allowed Newfoundland to tie the game 4-4.
Jackson Berezowski made it a 4-2 game with his first of the contest at 12:26 when the Railers couldn’t clear the puck out of their zone and Berezowski ended up all alone in front of the Worcester net. He potted his second at 8:45 of the third to make it 4-3 on an odd-man rush as he beat Lennox high to the glove side. Tate Singleton would tie the game 4-4 on a breakaway at 16:13 when the Railers forgot they were protecting a one-goal lead.
And that could have been the goal that broke the Railers back. But it didn’t as they stayed calm and put their foot back on the throttle, and it was old friend James Melindy who gave Worcester a golden opportunity late when he hooked Robbins on a Railers zone entry.
Worcester’s suddenly hot power play took advantage as Calder made it 5-4 at 18:13
Robbins would put the puck into the empty net with ten seconds to go, but Anthony Callin hadn’t quite cleared the zone–he actually wasn’t even close to being onside–so the goal was disallowed. It ultimately didn’t matter as Newfoundland didn’t have another bid after the ensuing faceoff.
The two teams will meet again on Friday, with a 5:30 ET puck drop.
GAME NOTES
Scratches for the Railers were Andrei Bakanov, Joey Cipollone, Christian Krygier (IR/upper), Riley Piercey (unknown injury), and Jack Quinlivan. Henrik Tikkanen was the backup goaltender. Earlier this week Quinlivan was activated from IR, and after leaving Tuesday’s game in the second period Krygier was added to the IR list Wednesday.
As we do when teams first meet the Railers we’ll take a look at some connections between the rosters. Defenseman Josh Victor played 16 games for Worcester last season, and is also a graduate of Fitchburg State University, captaining the team in the 2018-19 season. Forward Neil Shea was born in Marshfield, MA, and spent two seasons at Northeastern University. Former Railers forward Blake Christensen was claimed by the Growlers off waivers but refused to report and is currently suspended. There are no Newfoundland connections on Worcester’s roster.
A glance at the standings page on the ECHL’s website shows the points percentage column on the site is incorrect. The Railers have eight points in nine games, and that works out to be a .444 points percentage but the standings list Worcester at just .333. Adirondack has seven points in five games for .700, the site says they’re at .600. A quick glance has any team with an OTL or SOL as being wrong. That seems like something that should have been seen by now and certainly needs to be fixed.
There’s been some question, from fans and from Railers beat writer Bill Ballou, as to why the disallowed goal by Anthony Callin in overtime didn’t result in a penalty to John Copeland for interfering with Adirondack goaltender Vinnie Purpura. The answer is surprisingly simple: referee Michael Zyla didn’t call one on the original play. After the puck crossed the goal line Zyla quickly pointed up indicating he was going to video review, but because he didn’t call a penalty on Copeland prior to going to video review by the ECHL rules he can’t call one afterward. Watching the video it’s clear Zyla had a line of sight to the collision and should have called the penalty on Copeland right then and there, but because he didn’t he couldn’t after.
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. WOR – 16 Ashton Calder
2. WOR – 19 Blade Jenkins
3. NFL – 7 Jackson Berezowski
The 210Sports Player of the Game was Connor Welsh.
Even Strength Lines
Jenkins / Pivonka / Calder
Goodsir / Callin / Repaci
Howdeshell / Robbins / White
X / X / Ryan
Welsh / Cosgrove
Verrier / Garat
Kulakov / Copeland
Schultz / X
Our affiliates last night
@Boston 5, NY Islanders 2
In the ECHL’s North Division
No other games
BOX SCORE
Worcester 2 2 1 – 5
Newfoundland 0 2 2 – 4
1st Period-1, Worcester, Jenkins 2 2:58. 2, Worcester, Welsh 1 (Jenkins, Calder), 14:29 (PP). Penalties-Ryan Wor (delay of game), 9:45; Masonius Nfl (interference), 13:10; Robbins Wor (interference), 19:34; Melindy Nfl (roughing), 19:34.
2nd Period-3, Newfoundland, Cruikshank 6 (Masonius, Dennis), 4:47. 4, Worcester, Jenkins 3 (Ryan), 9:31. 5, Worcester, Robbins 2 (Goodsir, Cosgrove), 10:59. 6, Newfoundland, Berezowski 4 (Cruikshank, Weiss), 12:26. Penalties-Dennis Nfl (slashing), 5:27; served by Ryan Wor (bench – too many men), 7:23; Masonius Nfl (high-sticking), 13:34.
3rd Period-7, Newfoundland, Berezowski 5 (Masonius), 8:45. 8, Newfoundland, Singleton 4 (Shea), 16:13. 9, Worcester, Calder 5 (Jenkins, Pivonka), 18:13 (PP). Penalties-Melindy Nfl (hooking), 17:06.
Shots on Goal-Worcester 15-10-10-35. Newfoundland 3-18-9-30.
Power Play Opportunities-Worcester 2 / 4; Newfoundland 0 / 2.
Goalies-Worcester, Lennox 2-2-1-0 (30 shots-26 saves). Newfoundland, McKay 3-2-0-0 (35 shots-30 saves).
A-2,693
Referees-Brendan Schreider (12), Will Kelly (7).
Linesmen-Sheldon Keough (47), Darryl Butt (70).
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