The Worcester Railers returned to Harding Mazzotti Arena in Glens Falls, New York Wednesday night for another matchup against the Adirondack Thunder, and never recovered from a two-goal first-period deficit on their way to a 3-2 loss.
Things started off on the wrong foot for Worcester when they got caught with too many men on the ice with a little under five minutes gone from the game, and Jackson van de Leest followed with his first of the year at 6:49 to put the Railers down a goal. Luke Reid, also scoring his first of the season, then scored at 14:49 to make it 2-0 Thunder.
The second period started about as well as it possibly could for Worcester, and you can watch the first 14 seconds of the frame right here, leading to Matt DeMelis’ sixth of the season to cut the Adirondack lead to just a goal. Michael Suda and Lincoln Hatten had the assists on the play.
It wasn’t officially a power play goal because Riley Ginnell’s slashing minor had elapsed one second earlier, but Ginnell hadn’t made it all the way out of the penalty box when Josh Filmon blasted one by Parker Gahagen to make it 3-1 at 4:07 of the middle period. And, keeping with the theme, it was also Filmon’s first of the season.
With the Railers serving another too many men penalty, Anthony Callin notched an unassisted shorthanded goal at 13:47 to make it just a single goal Thunder lead. How Callin ended up with the puck will forever remain a mystery, as they were showing an ad from the video board on FloHockey while that action was taking place.
Despite two full power plays and twenty seconds of six-on-four hockey, Worcester couldn’t grab another goal and ended up on the wrong end of the 3-2 final.
GAME NOTES
Scratches for the Railers were MacAuley Carson (14-day IR/Unknown), Michael Ferrandino (14-day IR/Unknown), Tristan Lennox (14-day IR/Lower body), Adam Samuelsson, Porter Schachle (14-day IR/Unknown), Tanner Schachle (14-day IR/Unknown), Matt Stief (14-day IR/Unknown), and TJ Walsh. Thomas Gale was the backup goaltender.
We’re keeping track of the points the Railers probably should have gotten in games or just flat out gave away, calling them “Trash Points” because no better name has come up. By going 0-7 with the man advantage with just eight shots, and not getting a shot on goal on the very brief six on four opportunity to end the game, plus allowing a goal after getting caught with too many men on the ice, we’re adding one to Worcester’s “failed to get” total for not at least getting the game into overtime. Adirondack doesn’t get a plus, because there’s no saying they wouldn’t have won the game in extra time. The Railers’ point deficiency now sits at minus-5.
Despite Worcester needing a defenseman, on Monday, the NY Islanders reassigned forward Jesse Nurmi from Bridgeport to the Railers. The Finnish-born winger has a goal and an assist in 12 games with Worcester this season. On Tuesday, the Hartford Wolf Pack assigned defenseman Case McCarthy to the Railers. McCarthy, who was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the 4th round (#118) of the 2019 NHL entry draft, has only played in two games for the Wolf Pack this season after splitting time between Hartford and Bloomington last season. On Wednesday, the Railers released Brendan Dowler.
There were no scoring changes for last week’s games, despite one clearly needing to be made. Drew Callin did not receive a “plus” on Anthony Repaci’s goal at 16:52 of the third period of last Saturday’s game, so that means the goal is, at least statistically, a five-on-five goal. You could also argue that the elder Callin deserves an assist on the play, but as that’s not so clear cut, we’ll just focus on the “plus” he deserves.
Wednesday saw the ECHL announce the format and jerseys 2026 ECHL All-Star Classic on Monday, January 19, 2026. The Railers are one of 12 teams playing the day before, and as the ECHL often does, six teams have regular-season games the day of the All-Star Classic. That will likely impact which players are available for the game.
The three stars of the game were
1. ADK – #48 Tag Bertuzzi
2. ADK – #5 Jackson van de Leest
3. ADK – #24 Josh Filmon
The 210Sports Player of the Game was Matt DeMelis.
Even Strength Lines
Repaci / Miotto / Mitton
Ginnell / D.Callin / A.Callin
Donhauser / DeMelis / Hatten
Walsh / Dorrington / Veremyev
McDonald / Suda
Blanchard / McCarthy
Hora / Piercey
Press Releases
RAILERS: Worcester drops 3-2 decision in Glens Falls Wednesday night
THUNDER:
Our affiliates last night
No games scheduled
In the ECHL’s North Division last night
Reading 3, Wheeling 2
BOX SCORE
Worcester 0 2 0 – 2
Adirondack 2 1 0 – 3
1st Period-1, Adirondack, van de Leest 1 (Campbell, Hanzel), 6:49 (PP). 2, Adirondack, Reid 1 (Bertuzzi, Taylor), 14:49. Penalties-served by Veremyev Wor (bench – too many men), 4:52; Boislard Adk (boarding), 7:41; Fawcett Adk (hooking), 12:16; Carrabes Adk (tripping), 15:53.
2nd Period-3, Worcester, DeMelis 6 (Suda, Hatten), 0:14. 4, Adirondack, Filmon 1 (Salhany, Bertuzzi), 4:07. 5, Worcester, Callin 5 13:47 (SH). Penalties-Ginnell Wor (slashing), 2:06; Suda Wor (interference), 8:23; Friedmann Adk (hooking), 10:43; served by Veremyev Wor (bench – too many men), 13:35; Wheeler Adk (holding), 19:41.
3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Boislard Adk (high-sticking), 10:53; Piercey Wor (interference), 17:00; Taylor Adk (high-sticking), 17:00; Taylor Adk (holding the stick), 19:40.
Shots on Goal-Worcester 11-8-9-28. Adirondack 12-8-7-27.
Power Play Opportunities-Worcester 0 / 7; Adirondack 1 / 4.
Goalies-Worcester, Gahagen 3-1-1-0 (27 shots-24 saves). Adirondack, Brodeur 6-3-1-0 (28 shots-26 saves).
A-2,482
Referees-Austin Rook (11), Will Kelly (7).
Linesmen-Noah Merrow (57), Reilly Hickey (95).
—
Do you have something you loved (or hated) about the post? Head on over to the 210Sports Facebook page and leave a comment. You could comment on this post too, but fair warning: the spam filter catches a lot of stuff it shouldn’t, and it might be weeks before we see your comment. While you’re there, please give the page a like and a follow.
You can also follow along and comment on the following sites:
Twitter/X (210Darryl), Twitter/X (210Sports), Bluesky, and Mastodon.
-30-
210Sports 
Leave a comment