The Worcester Railers hosted the Norfolk Admirals Saturday night as the teams faced off for the third time in four days, and not only was it “Teddy Bear Toss Night” at the DCU Center, but it was also apparently “Turn Back the Clock Night” as the Railers looked like the completely inept team they were in October and lost 3-0.
The fans showed their angst and displeasure over the team’s play by throwing their stuffed animals on the ice after Norfolk’s Kristof Papp scored the Admirals’ second empty net goal of the game with 21.7 seconds remaining.
The one player who was very good Saturday was goaltender Thomas Gale, who doesn’t get to play much but has been solid in each appearance while getting almost no support. In two starts and a relief appearance, Gale has a goals against average of 2.31 and a save percentage of .917. In both full games he’s played, he’s been the #3 star. And, somehow, he’s 0-3-0.
The Railers only posted a single highlight of Gale on the evening, but this was just one of many great saves on the night for the Holy Cross alum.
The only shot to beat Gale was at 14:34 of the middle period when the Admirals connected on their third shorthanded goal in as many games. The play started with Michael Suda, at the left side point, failing to connect with Cole Donhauser below the Norfolk goal line. The Admirals collected and cleared the puck, where Suda was outmuscled by Papp behind the Worcester net. The Railers failed to pick up any Norfolk player, and eventually, Chase Yoder was able to backhand one past a downed Gale.
The rest of the way, it was like watching the Bad News Bears play hockey until the fans had had enough, and we saw stuffed bears on the ice.
Labor issues pending, Worcester returns to the ice for a Boxing Day matchup in Maine, with a 7:15pm puck drop.
GAME NOTES
Scratches for the Railers were MacAuley Carson (14-day IR/Unknown), Michael Ferrandino (14-day IR/Unknown), Parker Gahagen, Luke Pavacich, Porter Schachle (14-day IR/Unknown), and Tanner Schachle (14-day IR/Unknown). Tristan Lennox was activated from the 14-day IR earlier Saturday and was the backup goaltender.
It was the third time in Worcester pro hockey history that a city team was shut out on Teddy Bear Toss night. The first was December 3, 2004, when the Hershey Bears–who set up that matchup?– took on the IceCats and both Curtis Sanford and Hershey netminder Tom Lawson pitched shutouts through regulation and overtime. This writer clearly recalls PA announcer George Brown telling fans to not throw their bears on a Worcester shootout goal, a warning that was unneeded as none of the five IceCats shooters connected anyway. That game was also the first shootout in Worcester pro hockey history. I’ll have to confer with Railers Booster Club President and jersey expert Rich Lundin on this one, but I believe the IceCats were wearing W6 jerseys that game, and the next game against Hartford (they got shutout in that game, too).
For the WorSharks, it happened on March 28, 2009, in a game where Worcester put the puck into the net twice, but both times referee Ryan Fraser disallowed the goals. Trent Campbell, the original “Crazed Rats” left wing, looked to have scored when his shot was “saved” by Devils goalie Jeff Frazee, but was carried over the goal line. With no video review available in games back then, referee Fraser consulted the goal judge and both linesmen, and ruled no goal. And, of course, a postgame review of the video showed it should have counted. Later in the game, Riley Armstrong “scored”, but referee Fraser claimed he was in the act of blowing the whistle because the puck was covered. Spoiler alert: The video showed the puck was loose. The final score of that game? It was again a 1-0 final.
With no fanfare, the five millionth fan to watch a Worcester pro hockey home game passed through the doors of the DCU Center Saturday night. Probably. Despite always joking that people shouldn’t trust my math, according to several rechecks of the season-ending reports for every season of pro hockey in the city, the attendance number is 5,001,938. Longtime Telegram scribe Bill Ballou has a number just over 7,000 fewer than that. We’re going to go with each league’s official numbers, so yes, we’ve passed the five million threshold.
The three stars of the game were
1. NOR – #30 Isaac Poulter
2. NOR – #2 Chase Yoder
3. WOR – #33 Thomas Gale
The 210Sports Player of the Game was Thomas Gale.
Even Strength Lines
Repaci / Miotto / Mitton
Ginnell / D.Callin / A.Callin
Donhauser / DeMelis / Hatten
X / Dorrington / Walsh
McDonald / Suda
Blanchard / McCarthy
Hora / Piercey
Samuelsson
Press Releases
RAILERS: Worcester shutout by Admirals 3-0 to wrap-up home weekend
ADMIRALS: Recap: Admirals capture first shutout in victory over Worcester
Our affiliates last night
Buffalo 3, NY Islanders 2 SO
Hershey 4, Bridgeport 1
In the ECHL’s North Division last night
Trois-Rivières 3, Maine 0
Adirondack 4, Reading 2
Wheeling 3, Greensboro 2 OT
BOX SCORE
Norfolk 0 1 2 – 3
Worcester 0 0 0 – 0
1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Young Nor (roughing), 16:51; Callin Wor (roughing), 16:51.
2nd Period-1, Norfolk, Yoder 2 (Osmundson, Drake), 14:34 (SH). Penalties-Dorrington Wor (tripping), 0:25; Barteaux Nor (holding), 13:29.
3rd Period-2, Norfolk, Jaunich 3 19:00 (EN). 3, Norfolk, Papp 4 (Noel, Jankowski), 19:38 (EN). Penalties-Engum Nor (hooking), 7:38.
Shots on Goal-Norfolk 7-8-11-26. Worcester 6-10-6-22.
Power Play Opportunities-Norfolk 0 / 1; Worcester 0 / 2.
Goalies-Norfolk, Poulter 5-5-0-0 (22 shots-22 saves). Worcester, Gale 0-3-0-0 (24 shots-23 saves).
A-3,453
Referees-Alex Berard (36), Harrison O’Pray (40).
Linesmen-Sam Schildkraut (46), Conor Foley (86).
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