ORLANDO, FL -The Worcester Railers took on the Orlando Solar Bears Monday in a Presidents’ Day matinee at the Kia Center and scored three goals in the opening period and held off an Orlando comeback to defeat the Solar Bears 4-2 to avoid being swept in their three-game series.
The Railers jumped out to a quick 1-0 at 6:44 of the first when Anthony Callin took advantage of a Solar Bears turnover and beat Orlando netminder Brandon Halverson over the left shoulder.
Artyom Kulakov, who left last Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury, looked no worse for wear as he skated deep into the Orlando zone and threw a backhand centering pass into the slot. Solar Bears defender Ben Carroll got a stick on it and accidentally deflected the puck into his own net at 16:13.
Just over a minute later Keeghan Howdeshell made it 3-0 when he was all alone in front of the Orlando net and banged home his own rebound.
Luke Boka got Orlando on the board in the second frame to make it 3-1, and the period ended at that score thanks to many great saves by John Muse, including this one.
Muse had some more timely saves in the third period.
Darik Angeli would score an extra-attacker goal for Orlando at 16:34, and would keep the pressure on the Railers after that, but Jack Quinlivan’s empty-net goal at 19:04 would seal the deal.
Worcester will now travel about three hours south to Estero, Florida for three against the two-time defending Kelly Cup champion Florida Everblades.
GAME NOTES
Scratches for the Railers were Andrei Bakanov, John Copeland (IR/unknown), Tristan Lennox (IR/lower body), Carson MacKinnon (travel), and Ryan Verrier (IR/upper body). Cole Ceci was the backup goaltender.
On Saturday the Hartford Wolf Pack announced they’d signed Blade Jenkins to an AHL contract for the remainder of this season, and he was in the line-up for their game against Bridgeport. The Railers also announced the transaction, adding it was a “one-way” contract. In a text conversation with a Wolf Pack staffer, they believe it is not a one-way contract. In either case, Worcester still owns Jenkins’ ECHL rights, so if he returns to the ECHL this season it would need to be with the Railers unless Worcester trades away those rights. Presuming they retain his player rights the Railers could give Jenkins a qualifying offer over the summer, securing his player rights for another season.
Needing a forward Railers General Manager Jordan Smotherman decided to claim Carson MacKinnon off of waivers from the Savannah Ghost Pirates. MacKinnon, brother of Ryan who played for 133 games for Worcester over four different seasons, has played for three different ECHL teams before being claimed by the Railers, going 2-1-3 in 26 games.
Speaking of needing forwards, Reece Newkirk was a scratch in all three Bridgeport Islanders games last weekend and has only played in one game since January 21st in Providence. Newkirk, in the final year of his entry-level contract, is just 2-8-10 in 42 career AHL games. He’s averaging three points every four games in the ECHL, and the Railers could sure use him in their push for the playoffs. If neither one of the Lamoriellos sees fit to send Newkirk to Worcester that should be more than enough evidence the Railers need a new NHL/AHL partner.
With all the rain in the Orlando area this weekend the Railers canceled an excursion to Sea World on Saturday that the group this writer belongs to attempted before giving up late in the morning. Sunday’s rain pushed off our scheduled trip to EPCOT to Monday, so despite the key reason for coming to Orlando to see the Railers play we decided on EPCOT over the hockey game.
A quick posting schedule note, as of right now we’ll have our normal coverage of the Railers game against the Florida Everblades on Wednesday, and despite it being this writer’s “hockey-free weekend” coming up there will likely be posts for Friday and Saturday’s games against the two teams.
The three stars of the game were:
1. WOR – 44 Anthony Callin
2. ORL – 61 Luke Boka
3. WOR – 40 John Muse
The 210Sports Player of the Game was Christian Krygier.
Even Strength Lines
Repaci / White / Callin
Piercey / Pivonka / Calder
Howdeshell / Cipollone / Quinlivan
X / Robbins / Goehring
Cosgrove / Dickinson
Garat / Kulakov
Welsh / Krygier
Our affiliates last night
No games scheduled
In the ECHL’s North Division
Reading 2, Newfoundland 1
BOX SCORE
Worcester 3 0 1 – 4
Orlando 0 1 1 – 2
1st Period-1, Worcester, Callin 10 6:44. 2, Worcester, Kulakov 3 (Goehring, Garat), 16:13. 3, Worcester, Howdeshell 6 (Pivonka, Quinlivan), 17:17. Penalties-No Penalties
2nd Period-4, Orlando, Boka 6 (Carroll, Malmström), 2:54. Penalties-Hoelscher Orl (cross-checking), 9:38; White Wor (delay of game), 16:47.
3rd Period-5, Orlando, Angeli 6 (Jacques, Hoelscher), 16:34. 6, Worcester, Quinlivan 3 (Calder, Kulakov), 19:04 (EN). Penalties-Krygier Wor (fighting – major), 2:36; Low Orl (fighting – major), 2:36; Robbins Wor (roughing), 7:03; Mazza Orl (roughing), 7:03.
Shots on Goal-Worcester 14-6-5-25. Orlando 9-5-13-27.
Power Play Opportunities-Worcester 0 / 1; Orlando 0 / 1.
Goalies-Worcester, Muse 10-4-1-0 (27 shots-25 saves). Orlando, Halverson 12-9-3-1 (24 shots-21 saves).
A-5,378
Referees-JR Stragar (2).
Linesmen-Brady Fagan (89), Trevor Waite (73).
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