WORCESTER, MA – The Worcester Railers HC (15-20-2-0, 32 points) ended their four game homestand with a 5-3 win over the Reading Royals (20-12-4-0, 44 points) in front of 2,591 fans at the DCU Center on Sunday afternoon.
Nic Pierog (2 goals, 1 assist), Ben Thomson (2 goals, 1 assist), and Arnaud Durandeau (1 goal, 1 assist) all recorded multi-point games while Ian Milosz made 29 saves in net for his third straight win on Sunday. Former Worcester Railer Frank DiChiara (2 goals) snapped a 14-game goal-less drought with a pair of goals while Corey Mackin also scored for Reading. Felix Sandstrom made 32 saves in the loss for the Royals.
The Railers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as Durandeau from the side of the cage tucked one by Sandstrom at 1:39 to give Worcester an early 1-0 lead. On the power-play, DiChiara (11th goal of season) snapped a laser by the right shoulder of Milosz from the right circle to tie the game at 1-1 at 4:37. Worcester went down short-handed for the second time of the frame but just 10 seconds in Pierog (16th goal) picked off a pass from his own blueline and went down on a breakaway snapping one low glove to give the Railers a 2-1 lead. Worcester led 2-1 through 20 minutes of play and outshot the Royals 12-9.
Reading would tie the game at 2-2 when Mackin (11th goal) buried home a rebound after a heavy shot from the point courtesy of Garrett Cockerill at 8:10 of the second period. The Railers went on the power-play for the third time of the afternoon and just six seconds in Pierog with a no look pass from the left circle found Thomson (2nd goal) below the right circle who sent it into the back of the net to hand Worcester a 3-2 lead. In the dying minute of the period the Royals came down three on two and a pretty passing play was finished off by DiChiara (12th goal) with 50 seconds left to tie the game at 3-3. The team headed into the dressing room tied at 3-3 through 40 minutes of play.
Worcester would grab their fourth lead of the game which would be the eventual game winner at 10:59 of the first period with Thomson (3rd goal) standing on the top of the crease redirectred a shot from the right point courtesy of Bo Brauer to give the Railers a 4-3 lead. Pierog (17th goal) tacked on the insurance goal with 64 seconds left to give the Railers a 5-3 victory.
The Railers are on the road for the next five games beginning Tuesday vs. the Maine Mariners at 7 p.m.
Notes: Three Stars: 3rd star: Frank DiChiara (2 goals); 2nd star: Nic Pierog (2 goals, 1 assist, plus-4 rating, 6 shots); 1st star: Ben Thomson (2 goals, 1 assist, plus-3 rating, 7 shots)… Final shots were 37-32 in favor of Worcester… Felix Sandstrom (6-9-0) made 32 saves on 36 shots Reading… Ian Milosz (3-2-0) made 29 saves on 32 shots for Worcester while Evan Buitenhuis served as the backup… Worcester went 1-for-3 on the power play while Reading went 1-for-6… Kyle McKenzie (injury), Jordan Samuels-Thomas (injury), JD Dudek (Injured Reserve), Tanner Pond (Injured Reserve), Connor Doherty, and Cody Payne did not dress for Worcester… Mike Cornell, David Quenneville, Linus Soderstrom, Jakub Skarek are all currently on recall with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers… Nic Pierog (7-3-10) extended his point streak to six games…Pierog scored his league leading fifth short-handed goal of the season… Pierog now has 12 goals in 15 games vs. the Royals… Ben Thomson (3-5-8) now has points in six of seven games he has played with Worcester and led all skaters with seven shots… Ivan Chuakrov recorded an assist and now has points in six of his last seven games… Ryan MacKinnon wore an “A” for Worcester… Connor Doherty missed his first game of the season… The Railers are now 11-10-1 under Coach Cunniff… Worcester is now 15-9-1-0 vs. the Royals all time and 9-2-1-0 at the DCU Center.
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