It was Star Wars night at the DCU Center Saturday night as the Worcester Railers took on the Norfolk Admirals for the final time this regular season, but there was no happy ending to the occasion as Norfolk scored the opening two goals of the contest and held off several Railers counter offensives throughout the game to hand Worcester a 6-2 loss.
Friday night the Railers seemingly scored at will against Admirals netminder Kristian Stead, but Saturday was a different story as the Merritt, British Columbia native turned aside 34 of 36 Worcester shots. Both of the Railers’ goals were scored by Blade Jenkins, his 12th and 13th on the season.
Special teams were the real story of the night, with Norfolk scoring on two of four power play chances while Worcester put on an oh-fer, failing to score on three chances. Oddly, the Railers’ best special teams chances all took place while shorthanded to start the second period, but they were unable to score and soon after Norfolk did, and that was pretty much it for Worcester.
Sunday Trois-Rivières comes to town to finish the Railers three in three weekend.
GAME NOTES
Scratches for the Railers were John Copeland (IR/unknown), Ryan Dickinson, Todd Goehring (IR/unknown), Christian Krygier (IR/upper body), Tristan Lennox (IR/lower body), Jake Pivonka (unknown injury). Ken Appleby was the backup goaltender.
As usual, about an hour before the doors opened for the public, this writer arrived at the DCU Center on Saturday, walking through the press entrance to take the elevator up to the main level. Just before getting to the door, I could hear someone a little way behind me rolling a piece of luggage, so I naturally held the door for them. As he walked by, I could see a backpack with the ECHL logo and the number “82” on it. I asked “Referee or linesman?”, to which he quickly replied “Linesman, and I have no idea where I’m going here.” I brought him to the check-in table, and off he went. What got me in all that is, and I mean no disrespect when I say this, he looked like he belonged in junior high school. I know I’m getting older, but holy moly these kids seem to be getting younger and younger every year. Oh, and that linesman’s name? Cody Sullivan, working in what appears to be his third ECHL game ever. And to complete the record, that was his second game of the day as he had earlier worked the lines for the Robert Morris at AIC tilt at the MassMutual Center in Springfield that afternoon. I didn’t see that opening game, but I didn’t notice anything majorly wrong with his ECHL performance.
As happens many times over the season, there was a pregame gathering on the concourse that involved former Telegram reporter Bill Ballou. I don’t know how many times I’ve said or written it, but Ballou absolutely needs to write a book with all the stories he has. The rapid-fire conversation covered the gamut of topics, from halls of fame to old-time hockey greats to rules changes we’d like to see, and on and on. Dylan “Woo Hockey” Schofield always brings up Ballou doing a podcast, but when I was recording “Nothing But Shenanigans” Ballou politely declined every invite, as he does with everyone else who asks. It’s a shame too, because I can’t recall a single story he’s ever told that wasn’t entertaining and informative.
A young reader, whose parents this writer knows very well, wanted me to make sure I mentioned that Ryan Fitzgerald dropped the ceremonial opening puck Saturday night. She said Fitzy is her favorite baseball player of all time, and she’s sad he’s leaving for Kansas City, but she likes the (royal) blue jerseys they wear and she’s going to get one, and she’s going to go to Boston to watch him play when they come here and wear the Royals’ jersey but hold up her WooSox jersey so he will see it. And she said all of that apparently without taking a single breath. She also thinks Darth Vader was scary in the movies but not so scary standing next to her, and that there aren’t enough girl Jedis. Seems to me there might be one more today than there was yesterday.
The three stars of the game were:
1. NOR – 31 Kristian Stead
2. NOR – 12 Danny Katic
3. WOR – 19 Blade Jenkins
The 210Sports Player of the Game was Ryan Verrier.
Even Strength Lines
Repaci / Jenkins / Callin
Kuefler / Cipollone / Quinlivan
Howdeshell / White / Piercey
Bakanov / X / Bowen
Welsh / Robbins
Garat / Cosgrove
Kulakov / Verrier
Our affiliates last night
Florida 3, NY Islanders 2 OT
Providence 3, Bridgeport 1
In the ECHL’s North Division
Wheeling 8, Reading 2
Trois-Rivières 2, Adirondack 1 OT
Newfoundland 5, Maine 1
BOX SCORE
Norfolk 2 2 2 – 6
Worcester 1 1 0 – 2
1st Period-1, Norfolk, Nault 5 (Fleurent, Smirnov), 1:14 (PP). 2, Norfolk, Timofeyev 7 (Fleurent), 4:59. 3, Worcester, Jenkins 12 (Verrier, Repaci), 10:39. Penalties-Callin Wor (hooking), 0:22; Musser Nor (roughing), 19:15; served by Kuefler Wor (bench – too many men), 19:15; Quinlivan Wor (roughing), 19:15.
2nd Period-4, Norfolk, Miller 7 (Fedorek), 3:13. 5, Norfolk, Musser 4 (Katic, Smirnov), 11:41 (PP). 6, Worcester, Jenkins 13 13:12. Penalties-Jameson Nor (delay of game – faceoff infraction), 4:54; Louis-Jean Nor (holding), 7:37; Cipollone Wor (interference), 10:38; Repaci Wor (slashing), 11:41; Katic Nor (double – roughing), 13:43; White Wor (double – roughing), 13:43.
3rd Period-7, Norfolk, Katic 11 (Osmundson, Kubicek), 5:17. 8, Norfolk, McLean 4 16:11 (EN). Penalties-Iverson Nor (boarding), 13:32.
Shots on Goal-Norfolk 12-9-7-28. Worcester 12-16-8-36.
Power Play Opportunities-Norfolk 2 / 4; Worcester 0 / 3.
Goalies-Norfolk, Stead 5-2-2-0 (36 shots-34 saves). Worcester, Muse 6-3-0-0 (27 shots-22 saves).
A-5,720
Referees-Hunter Mottinger (9).
Linesmen-Benjamin Lord (98), Cody Sullivan (82).
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