When push comes to shove, the Worcester Railers are not a team that can make a serious run at the Kelly Cup, and they proved that Friday night at the DCU Center by allowing three third-period goals to the Maine Mariners and then two breakaway bids in overtime, the second sending the 3,121 fans in attendance home disappointed as Worcester turned a win into an overtime loss, handing Maine two points they did not deserve.
Yes, the Railers got jobbed by referee Yannick Jobin-Manseau when he allowed Maine’s second goal, which was clearly goaltender interference. Yes, Maine had seven skaters on the ice when the tying goal was scored. Yes, William Provost should have been penalized when he threw his broken stick at the Railers in overtime.
But teams must overcome bad calls, and Worcester did not do that.
Playoff teams also don’t make dumb mistakes, and the Railers made plenty of those on Friday night. It’s bad enough they allowed a shorthanded breakaway to Adam Mechura in the first period, but none of the five guys on the ice thought that maybe they should pick up Alex Kile as he trailed the play with no Worcester player appearing to be in the same ZIP Code Kyle was in.
For Maine’s third goal, three Railers players allowed Wyllum Deveaux an opening to grab a stretch pass and get behind them on a breakaway.
Then we have to mention Artyom Kulakov whiff on his attempt at the empty net.
No matter how you look at it, this was a game Worcester flat-out should have won but found ways not to.
And that’s something playoff teams don’t do.
It took 10:38 of play until the Railers got their first shot on goal. Their second, at 11:23, gave them a 1-0 lead when Jake Pivonka beat Mariners Kyle Keyser.
After Worcester allowed the Kile shorthanded goal, Ashton Calder made it 2-1 at 16:58.
Anthony Callin made it 3-1 with the only goal of the middle frame.
Fifty-nine seconds into period number three, Riley Piercey made it 4-1.
Then the Railers got jobbed, and the tweet says it all.
Deveaux’s first goal, the one where Trevor Cosgrove and Ryan Dickinson forgot to play defense, made it 4-3 at 15:39. Deveaux followed that with a seven-skater goal for Maine, an extra extra attacker goal if you will, to tie it 4-4. Ryan Mast then connected at 3:08 of overtime as Worcester snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
GAME NOTES
Scratches for the Railers were Andrei Bakanov, John Copeland (IR/unknown), Zsombor Garat (IR/unknown), Tristan Lennox (IR/lower body), and Zach White. Cole Ceci was the backup goaltender. Reece Newkirk was recalled to Bridgeport on Monday and was a healthy scratch for the AHL Islanders on Friday night.
In another rules miss, albeit one that’s never enforced but the rulebook clearly says it should, referee Yannick Jobin-Manseau didn’t call Maine defenseman Tyler Drevitch for delay of game when the blueliner intentionally shot the puck at the Daktronics board high over center ice. The video board is out of play, and per the letter of the rules, should result in a minor penalty if a player hits it intentionally. Rule 63.2 says, in part, “A minor penalty for delay of game shall be imposed on any player or goalkeeper who deliberately shoots or bats (using his hand or his stick) the puck outside the playing area (from anywhere on the ice surface) during the play or after a stoppage of play.” In all my years of watching hockey, I’ve only seen that action result in a penalty once, called by Terry Koharski against the Springfield Falcons in a game against the WorSharks at the Mass Mutual Center. Post game the AHL confirmed it was the correct interpretation of the rule and a good call. So the fact referee Jobin-Manseau didn’t call it isn’t a shock; it’s just another thing to note.
We can officially close the book on any discipline for Zack White’s “Abuse of Officials” game misconduct from a couple weeks ago. The reports filed by the referee and linesman involved were enough for the ECHL to rule the incident accidental, and word is the league never even talked to White or the Railers about it.
The Worcester Railers Booster Club has an ongoing Pink in the Rink ornament going on at their table behind section 109, with the proceeds going to The Cupped Crusaders and their fight to end breast cancer. The Club also has a specialty jersey raffle, where a $10 ticket gets you a chance at winning one of all six of the specialty jerseys the Railers will win this season. Their “Big Game” football square sales were originally scheduled to end after Friday night’s game, but that has been extended to Saturday night’s game too.
The three stars of the game were:
1. MNE – 41 Ryan Mast
2. WOR – 16 Ashton Calder
3. MNE – 4 Wyllum Deveaux
The 210Sports Player of the Game was Jake Pivonka.
Even Strength Lines
Repaci / Jenkins / Callin
Piercey / Pivonka / Calder
Howdeshell / Cipollone / Quinlivan
Robbins / X / Goehring
Cosgrove / Dickinson
Verrier / Kulakov
Welsh / Krygier
Our affiliates last night
Hartford 4, Bridgeport 1
In the ECHL’s North Division
Wheeling 2, Reading 1
Florida 4, Adirondack 1
Norfolk 6, Trois-Rivières 3
Newfoundland 6, Greenville 2
BOX SCORE
Maine 1 0 3 1 – 5
Worcester 2 1 1 0 – 4
1st Period-1, Worcester, Pivonka 11 (Calder, Piercey), 11:23. 2, Maine, Kile 24 (Mechura, Ritchie), 15:56 (SH). 3, Worcester, Calder 15 (Pivonka, Cosgrove), 16:58 (PP). Penalties-Malatesta Mne (cross-checking), 11:47; Solow Mne (high-sticking – double), 14:25.
2nd Period-4, Worcester, Callin 9 (Jenkins, Krygier), 12:28. Penalties-Cosgrove Wor (holding), 3:08.
3rd Period-5, Worcester, Piercey 4 (Pivonka, Calder), 0:59. 6, Maine, Provost 7 (Ritchie), 7:06. 7, Maine, Deveaux 7 (Ritchie), 15:39. 8, Maine, Deveaux 8 (Askew), 18:41. Penalties-No Penalties
1st OT Period-9, Maine, Mast 4 3:08. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Maine 7-5-8-4-24. Worcester 15-13-9-1-38.
Power Play Opportunities-Maine 0 / 1; Worcester 1 / 3.
Goalies-Maine, Keyser 3-3-1-0 (38 shots-34 saves). Worcester, Muse 8-3-1-0 (24 shots-19 saves).
A-3,121
Referees-Yannick Jobin-Manseau (30).
Linesmen-Antoine Bujold-Roux (72), Nicolas Boivin (82).
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