PORTLAND, ME – The Worcester Railers HC (23-22-4-2) defeated the Maine Mariners (24-22-4-2) 6-3 in front of a crowd of 2,100 at the Cross Insurance Arena on Wednesday night.
The Railers never trailed in the game leading 1-0 after the first and 4-2 after the first. Jordan Lavallee-Smotherman (2 goals), Nolan Vesey (2 assists), Reece Newkirk (2 assists), and Anthony Repaci (2 assists) all registered multi-point games while 10 different skaters registered a point. Colten Ellis was outstanding in between the pipes finishing the game with 36 saves including 15 in the final period. Maine received goals from Brendan Robbins (1 goal, 1 assist), Tyler Hinam (1 goal, 1 assist), and Marc-Olivier Duquette (1 goal) while Steffanos Lekkas made 24 saves in net for the loss.
Cole Coskey (9th goal of the season) broke the ice with just 4:27 to play in the first period when Lavallee-Smotherman found Coskey through the high slot who wrister one past Steffanos Lekkas to give Worcester a 1-0 lead. Ellis was perfect in the opening 20 minutes of play making 12 saves as the Railers were outshot 12-7.
The Railers received their first power-play of the game 48 seconds into the second period and right as it expired Ross Olsson (18th goal) in the right circle received a feed from Newkirk at the far circle and Olsson wasted no time ripping it over the far shoulder of Lekkas to give Worcester a 2-0 lead at 2:48. One minute and 26 seconds later, Duqette (6th goal) found the back of the net to cut the Railers lead down to 2-1. With 9:47 left in the frame, Bobby Butler thought he gave Worcester a 3-1 lead but after a lengthy review it was rule goaltender interreference on the ice. At 13:18, Brent Beuadoin (13th goal) was set up by Repaci and Vesey to make it 3-1 Worcester. Lavallee-Smotherman (23rd) would make it 4-1 with a rebound in front at 17:54 of the second. Fifty-one seconds, later Hinam (5th goal) at the top of the crease deflected one past Ellis to cut the Railers lead down to 4-2. Worcester outshot Maine 14-11 in the second and led 4-2 through 40 minutes of play.
Ellis was put to the task in the first half of the third and stood tall making countless tremendous stops. At 10:43 of the third Jacob Hayhurst (12th goal) below the right circle received a feed from Vesey and smashed it home to give Worcester a 5-2 lead. The Railers lead would be cut back to two as Robbins found the back of the cage for Maine 65 seconds later making it a 5-3 Railers lead. With roughly three minutes remaining in regulation Maine would pull their goaltender and Lavallee-Smotherman (24th goal) polished it off with an empty-netter from Coskey with 2:23 to play. Ellis ended up making 15 saves in the third period en route to a 6-3 Worcester victory.
The Railers are back in action Friday night at the DCU Center at 7:05 p.m. vs. the Adirondack Thunder.
Notes: Three Stars: 3rd Star: Tyler Hinam (1 goal, 1 assist, +1 rating, 6 shots); 2nd Star: Nolan Vesey (2 assists, +1); 1st Star: Jordan Lavallee-Smotherman (2 goals, 1 assist, +1, 2 shots)… Final shots were 39-30 in favor of Maine… Stefanos Lekkas (14-12-2) made 24 saves on 29 shots for Maine… Colten Ellis (13-5-5) made 36 saves on 39 shots for Worcester, while Ken Appleby served as the backup… Worcester went 0-for-2 on the power play while Maine went 0-for-1… Blake Christesen (DNP), Chris Ordoobadi (DNP), Ethan Price (DNP), John Furgele (DNP) Connor McCarthy (IR), and Grant Jozefek (IR) did not dress for Worcester… Ken Appleby was ressaigned by the New York Islanders to Worcester from the Bridegport Islanders on Wednesday… Jimmy Poreda was released on Wednesday… Bobby Butler was activated from the IR and played his first game since February 6th… The Railers are now 15-15-5-3 all-time vs. the Mariners and 4-11-2-2 at the Cross Insurance Arena vs. Maine.
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