WORCESTER, MA – The Worcester Railers HC (6-8-0-1, 13 points) won the fourth meeting in the “VIP Rivalry Cup”, beating the Maine Mariners (6-6-2-1, 15 points) by the final score of 3-2 at the DCU Center on Wednesday night.
Liam Coughlin (1 goal, 1 shootout goal) and Zach Malatesta (1 goal) found the back of the net for the Railers while Colten Ellis made 38 saves in net for Worcester in the victory. Kelti Jeri-Leon (1 goal) and Andrew Romano (1 goal) added goals for Maine while Jeremy Brodeur made 33 saves for Maine in the loss. The shootout went six rounds as Coughlin would provide the eventual game winner with Ellis stopping Askew in round six.
For the third time in four matchups between Worcester and Maine, The Mariners scored the game’s first goal. It came off of transition passing between Andrew Peski, Justin Brazeau and Jeri-Leon (2nd goal of season), as Jeri-Leon was able to guide a shot past Ellis to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead. Five minutes later, just after a penalty to former Railer Connor Doherty, a slapshot from Malatesta (1st goal) was able to find the back of the net after bouncing off of a Mariner in front, tying the game 1-1. The score stayed nodded up at one apiece after 20. Shots were in favor of Worcester 8-7.
Nine minutes and 45 seconds into the second, Coughlin (3rd goal) carried the puck through neutral ice, found some room on the left side, then fired a wrist shot that went top shelf on Mariners goalie Brodeur, giving Worcester the 2-1 lead. The Railers went on a 4-3 power play with 6:50 to go in the period, but were unable to capitalize on the opportunity to extend their lead. The score remained 2-1 heading into the third period. Shots in the second favored Worcester 15-9.
In the third, Ellis was able to make back-to-back pad saves on the doorstep to initially deny Maine, but Romano (2nd goal) picked up the rebound and put it past Ellis the third time around and tied the game 2-2. Ellis was excellent in the third period, making 21 saves on 22 shots for the Mariners. Sixty minutes wouldn’t be enough, as the two teams headed into overtime with the game tied at two apiece. Worcester came out firing in the seven-minute three-on-three overtime period, outshooting Maine 7-2. Neither team found the back of the net during extra time, meaning the game would be settled in a shootout.
In the first round, Jacob Hayhurst beat Brodeur high blocker while Ellis made a save on Brazeau to put Worcester ahead 1-0. In the second round, Jordan Lavallee-Smotherman’s backhand shot was denied by the right pad of Brodeur, while Connor Bleackley was able to score just off of the glove of Ellis and tied the shootout 1-1. Neither goalies were able to make a stop for the next three rounds, as Matthew Santos, Jason Horvath, and Patrick Shea for Maine, and Anthony Repaci, Grant Jozefek, and Nolan Vesey for Worcester each found the back of the net. In the seventh round, Coughlin was able to nudge one by Brodeur on the backhand, while Ellis forced the shot of Askew wide right. Worcester won the shootout 5-4, and the game 3-2.
Notes: Three Stars: 3rd Star: Jacob Hayhurst (shootout goal, 4 shots) 2nd Star: Colten Ellis (38 saves, 2 goals against, .950 save percentage) 1st Star: Liam Coughlin (1 goal, shootout winner, 3 shots)… Final shots were 40-36 in favor of Maine… Jeremy Brodeur (5-3-2) made 33 saves on 35 shots for Maine… Colton Ellis (3-2-0) made 38 saves on 40 shots for Worcester… Worcester went 0-for-4 on the power play while Adirondack went 0-for-2… Mike Cornell, Connor McCarthy, Felix Bibeau, Paul Thompson, and Collin Adams are each up with the Bridgeport Islanders… Nick Albano is up with the Springfield Thunderbirds… Zach Malatesta scored his first goal of the season, and his first goal as a Railer… This was the Railers second shootout game, and first shootout win this season… Ross Olsson now has points in four of his last five games, and seven points over that same span… Jordan Lavallee-Smotherman led the Railers in shots with 6… Worcester has 57 games left on the regular season, 29 of which are at the DCU Center… The Railers are now 10-12-4-3 all-time vs. the Mariners and 8-3-2-1 at the DCU center against Maine… The Railers are back at the DCU Center against the Adirondack Thunder on Friday, December 3rd at 7:05 p.m.
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