ST. JOHN’S, NL – The Newfoundland Growlers extended their home winning streak to 11 games as they sunk the Worcester Railers 6-3 Monday night at Mile One Centre.
The Railers opened the scoring 3:20 into the game after the Growlers found themselves get into penalty trouble early and Nic Pierog made them pay as he fired a slapper behind Parker Gahagen to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead. Marcus Power responded at the 10:57 mark of the opening period after banging home his own rebound behind Ian Milosz on the power play to tie the game at 1-1.
Matt Bradley fired home a rebound off of Tommy Panico’s point blast with 38.7 seconds to play in the first period to send the Growlers to the dressing room ahead 2-1 after 20 minutes of play.
Scott Pooley extended the lead to two at 8:27 of the second period after bursting down the wing and roofing a wrister short-side to extend his goal streak to eight games, and to give the Growlers a 3-1 lead. The Granger, Indiana native needed only 2:22 later to fire home a bullet while on a shorthanded breakaway, extending the Growlers lead to 4-1.
Pooley made good on a Colt Conrad one-time dish to cap off the natural hat trick with 5:26 remaining in the game giving him 15 in 15 games, but Worcester replied just under a minute later when Drew Callin beat Gahagen for a 5-2 game.
Barry Almeida made it a two-goal game after an unfortunate bounce found its way in the back of the Growlers net, but Pooley fired home his fourth of the night into an empty net for a 6-3 final score.
Quick Hits: Zach O’Brien returned to the Growlers lineup after missing the last 12 games due to injury… Brady Ferguson extended his point streak to eight games… The three stars were 3 – G. Estephan (NFL), 2 – P. Gahagen (NFL) and 1 – S. Pooley (NFL)
What’s Next: The Newfoundland Growlers wrap up 2019 with a special Nickelodeon Day matinee game Tuesday afternoon against the Worcester Railers, ECHL affiliate of the New York Islanders where the Growlers will don Spongebob Square Pants jerseys. Puck drop is 4 p.m. Newfoundland time (2:30 p.m.Eastern time).
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