The Worcester Railers headed to the Great White North Saturday afternoon for a matinee matchup against the Trois-Rivières Lions at the Colisée Vidéotron and wasted a golden opportunity for an important regulation victory in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Lions.
Railers fans don’t need to be reminded about how the team has missed the playoffs over the last few seasons, and they know that every single point is important in the standings. Playing a divisional game against an FPHL goaltender should have made any team champ at the bit, but Worcester played another game where they just couldn’t get out of their own way.
A wasted 90-second five-on-three advantage, where they could only manage a single shot that wasn’t much of a scoring chance, was just the first in a long line of things that led to the Railers failing to secure two points. Their two shots over two and a half minutes of five-on-four power play time just added to fans’ frustrations.
Trois-Rivières had the only goal of the first period, by Anthony Beauregard at 16:47, when Worcester couldn’t corral a loose puck in front of their net. It’s just one of those goals that occasionally happens. What makes it more painful is that it shouldn’t have been the only goal of the frame.
After a scoreless middle period, Worcester caught a break when William Lavallière made the save on Anthony Callin’s breakaway bid, but his momentum carried him into his own net as he carried the puck across the goal line. In soccer, that would be called an own goal, but in hockey, it’s simply Callin, unassisted, at 4:54.
Thirty seconds later, Lions defender Jacob Paquette threw Khristian Acosta into the boards, which referee Brendan Schreider decided wasn’t a penalty despite it being the literal definition of boarding. Adam Samuelsson, who is not considered a fighter, stepped up to defend his teammate. In a chat during the game Sr. Director of Ticket Sales Connor Haynes noted that it was smart he (Samuelsson) didn’t jump him, and that’s pretty solid insight.
Just nine seconds later, Ryan Miotto would give the Railers a 2-1 lead on a goal that’s currently listed as unassisted, but Riley Ginnell should be given a helper on the play.
A one-timer in the slot by Egor Goriunov knotted the game at 16:44, and eventually sent it to overtime, where Morgan Adams-Moisan would win it for the Lions at 3:08. The Railers were outshot in the game 39-25, and made that FPHL netminder look like Ken Dryden.
The teams will now head to the DCU Center for a three-in-three next weekend.
GAME NOTES
Scratches for the Railers were Michael Ferrandino (14-day IR/Unknown), Thomas Gale, Hunter Hall, Lincoln Hatten (lower body), Anthony Hora (14-day IR/Lower body), and Ross Mitton (14-day IR/Upper body). Tristan Lennox was the backup goaltender.
On Tuesday, Nikita Susuyev was recalled to Springfield by the St Louis Blues, but based on his three games here, he really needs some coaching to have a successful pro career. He’s full of speed and raw talent, but, like many young players, his decision-making has not kept pace with either. It’s possible his visa doesn’t allow him to travel to Canada, so we might see him back on the Railers roster soon after their return to Massachusetts.
With the OT loss, a game that Worcester should have absolutely won in regulation, they’ll get a minus-1 in our “Trash Points” standings for failing to win the game, and Trois-Rivières gets plus-2 because they shouldn’t have had any. The Railers now have 13 points fewer than they should, and every team in the North Division except Greensboro has now gained at least one point against Worcester that they shouldn’t have gotten.
The Winter Olympics are underway, and with Tomas Hertl (Czechia) and Nick Saracino (Italy) taking part, that will make nine consecutive Winter Olympics featuring a player with a connection to the IceCats, WorSharks, or Railers. Going back to the 1948 Olympic Games that saw four eventual Worcester Warriors play, players who have played in a city jersey have combined for six gold medals, four silver medals, and two bronze medals. Goaltender Harri Sateri is the latest medal winner, capturing gold with Team Finland in 2022 in Beijing. A total of 46 former Worcester players have taken part in Olympic ice hockey.
We didn’t cover the Wednesday night game, so a quick note on Calle Odelius’ missed penalty shot in the game. It’s the Railers third consecutive miss after their previous four had resulted in goals. Odelius also became the first Railers defender to take a penalty shot, and you would have to go back to December 17, 2011, to have a Worcester defenseman make an attempt, when Sean Sullivan beat Binghamton Senators netminder Mike McKenna.
The three stars of the game were
1. TR – #32 Morgan Adams-Moisan
2. TR – #82 Egor Goriunov
3. TR – #29 William Lavallière
The 210Sports Player of the Game was Ryan Miotto.
Even Strength Lines
Repaci / Miotto / Ginnell
Donhauser / A.Callin / D.Callin
Piercey / DeMelis / Susuyev
Acosta / X / Carson
Pulkkinen / Samuelsson
McDonald / Suda
Odelius / Blanchard
Federkow
Press Releases
RAILERS: Railers fall 3-2 in overtime to Lions
LIONS: Captain Morgan Adams-Moisan wins it in overtime
Our affiliates last night
Bridgeport 5, Lehigh Valley 1
In the ECHL’s North Division last night
Allen 4, Norfolk 0
Wheeling 6, Cincinnati 0
Greensboro 4, Reading 3 SO
Orlando 4, Maine 3
BOX SCORE
Worcester 0 0 2 0 – 2
Trois-Rivières 1 0 1 1 – 3
1st Period-1, Trois-Rivières, Beauregard 9 (Mianscum, Dion), 16:47. Penalties-Mianscum Tr (slashing), 7:20; Adams-Moisan Tr (high-sticking), 7:50; Callin Wor (interference), 13:02.
2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Desruisseaux Tr (slashing), 19:01.
3rd Period-2, Worcester, Callin 15 4:54. 3, Worcester, Miotto 10 5:33. 4, Trois-Rivières, Goriunov 2 (Paquette, Louis-Jean), 16:44. Penalties-Samuelsson Wor (fighting – major), 5:24; Paquette Tr (fighting – major), 5:24.
1st OT Period-5, Trois-Rivières, Adams-Moisan 8 (Louis-Jean, Dunlap), 3:08. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Worcester 8-12-5-0-25. Trois-Rivières 11-10-16-2-39.
Power Play Opportunities-Worcester 0 / 3; Trois-Rivières 0 / 1.
Goalies-Worcester, Gahagen 11-3-4-0 (39 shots-36 saves). Trois-Rivières, Lavallière 1-0-0-0 (25 shots-23 saves).
A-2,793
Referees-Brendan Schreider (12), -.
Linesmen-Alexis Vezina (85), Philippe Pilon (68).
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