Well, at least the Railers make part of all this easy for this writer as all that was needed for a title was to change the score and team that Worcester lost to from last week. With this Sunday’s 4-2 loss to the Trois-Rivières Lions, the Railers are a pitiful 2-7 in Sunday games this season. For a team that’s supposed to be chasing a playoff spot, that’s an inexcusable record.
Trois-Rivières scored the only goal of the first period on a shot by Nolan Yaremko that, to be blunt, is a save even the lowest of ECHL goaltenders should make. But somehow Worcester netminder Ken Appleby didn’t, and it was 1-0.
Jack Quinlivan had the only goal of the second period, his first since December 4th last season.
The middle frame would end 1-1, but not before a huge fracas broke out that saw Artyom Kulakov exchanging punches with Cedric Montminy. While that was going on Lions forward Alex-Olivier Voyer was tagged for a major for cross-checking and a game misconduct and Worcester forward Zack White picked up a roughing minor. White was also ejected under Rule 40.4, “Physical Abuse of Officials – Category III”, which comes with a suspension of not less than three games.
As Derek Sanderson used to say on Bruins’ telecasts, Kulakov is a gamer.
That had the teams skating four on four to start the third, but a brainless interference minor by Blade Jenkins just six seconds into the final frame made it a four-on-three power play for Trois-Rivières, and on another shot it looked like Appleby should have had Nicolas Guay scored on the power play to make it 2-1.
Soon after the Railers went on a three-minute major power play but couldn’t convert. Moments after it ended Jenkins partially redeemed himself with a nice wraparound goal to tie it 2-2.
Halfway through the frame, the Lions would take the lead for good when the Railers were caught standing around and Jakov Novak banged home a loose puck in front of Appleby. Montminy would add an empty net goal for the 4-2 final.
GAME NOTES
Scratches for the Railers were Brian Bowen, John Copeland (IR/unknown), Zsombor Garat, Christian Krygier (IR/upper body), Tristan Lennox (IR/lower body), and Jake Pivonka (unknown injury). John Muse was the backup goaltender.
Before the start of the game, the Worcester Railers Booster Club announced their “Player of the Month” awards, with Jake Pivonka being named for October/November and Anthony Repaci winning for December. Pivonka went 7-8-15 and was plus-3 in the opening six weeks of the season, while Repaci was 7-3-10 and plus-5 for December. Voting is done by Booster Club members and usually takes place during the first home games after the start of a new month.
It was the first time since their New Year’s Eve trip to Reading that Worcester wore their blue sweaters. It’s become sort of a thing for the team to wear whatever jersey they last wore when they won if they can, but a couple of long stints in their white sweaters, along with the IceCats specialty jersey, have caused the blues to be put into the closet for a while. Had the Railers won Saturday night, the blues would probably still be in that closet.
We’re in dead horse beating territory here, but there is absolutely no excuse for there to have been no story in the Telegram, or on the Telegram’s website, about Saturday’s game. Zero. None. Telegram reporter Tommy Cassell was at the game, or at least the start of it, and proof of that is right here:
He wrote a nice article about the Wachusett/Auburn high school game which mentions the Railers, but nothing about the actual game itself. He also had a nice article on Ryan Fitzgerald leaving the WooSox, most of which could have been written long before any festivities took place. A cynical person might ask why the WooSox chose this particular weekend to honor Fitzy as opposed to next week when there’s no Railers game to upstage. Or maybe I’m that cynical person, also wondering how many tax dollars the WooSox cost the city vs the amount the Railers do. That Railers amount? Zero. None. Not that you asked, but the same can be said of the Bravehearts. Never cost the city a penny.
The three stars of the game were:
1. TR – 1 Zachary Émond
2. TR – 86 Jakov Novak
3. WOR – 24 Jack Quinlivan
The 210Sports Player of the Game was Artyom Kulakov.
Even Strength Lines
Repaci / Jenkins / Callin
Kuefler / Quinlivan / Bakanov
Howdeshell / Cipollone / Piercey
X / White / Goehring
Verrier / Robbins
Cosgrove / Dickinson
Kulakov / Welsh
Our affiliates last night
No games scheduled
In the ECHL’s North Division
Maine 4, Newfoundland 2
Norfolk 5, Adirondack 4 SO
BOX SCORE
Trois-Rivières 1 0 3 – 4
Worcester 0 1 1 – 2
1st Period-1, Trois-Rivières, Yaremko 7 (Novak, Martin), 3:43. Penalties-Callin Wor (boarding), 9:45; Parker-Jones Tr (holding), 15:41.
2nd Period-2, Worcester, Quinlivan 1 (Repaci, Verrier), 7:12. Penalties-Thomas Tr (cross-checking), 8:20; Piercey Wor (holding), 10:49; served by Paiement Tr (bench – too many men), 12:55; Montminy Tr (fighting – major), 19:52; Voyer Tr (cross-checking major, game misconduct – cross-checking), 19:52; Kulakov Wor (fighting – major), 19:52; White Wor (roughing, game misconduct – physical abuse of officials – category iii), 19:52.
3rd Period-3, Trois-Rivières, Guay 1 (Jandric, Ducharme), 1:33 (PP). 4, Worcester, Jenkins 14 (Callin, Welsh), 4:53. 5, Trois-Rivières, Novak 19 (Parker-Jones, Martin), 11:10. 6, Trois-Rivières, Montminy 12 18:26. Penalties-Jenkins Wor (interference), 0:06; Verrier Wor (tripping), 19:15.
Shots on Goal-Trois-Rivières 9-13-13-35. Worcester 13-12-13-38.
Power Play Opportunities-Trois-Rivières 1 / 4; Worcester 0 / 4.
Goalies-Trois-Rivières, Émond 4-1-0-0 (38 shots-36 saves). Worcester, Appleby 1-1-0-0 (35 shots-31 saves).
A-3,143
Referees-Yannick Jobin-Manseau (30).
Linesmen-Shane Kanaly (74), Nicolas Boivin (82).
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