PORTLAND, Maine – In a year that has had a lot of great games, the Railers played their game of the year here Friday night.Down by 2-0 halfway through the match, knowing that the Adirondack Thunder had won their game in Newfoundland earlier, Worcester came back with four straight goals and beat the Maine Mariners, 4-3.
It was a remarkable performance with multiple Railers standouts. That list begins with Liam Coughlin, who registered his first career hat trick by scoring on the power play, shorthanded and into an empty net.
Two of his goals were assisted by rookie Adam Goodsir, making his professional debut. Once again, also, Ken Appleby turned in a tremendous effort in net as he made 32 saves.
Jacob Hayhurst had the other Railers goal as he scored shorthanded at 16:50 of the third period. It was just the sixth time in franchise history Worcester had two shorthanded goals in the same game, the first time since Dec. 16, 2019.
The result was not only emotionally satisfying for Worcester, it was mathematically satisfying as well. The victory allowed the Railers to cut their magic number for clinching a playoff spot to 18.
Worcester played an uninspired first period and it showed on the scoreboard as Maine jumped out to a 2-0 lead. The shots on goal totals were a good indication of how things went as the Mariners had a 14-5 edge.
It was, however, a 0-0 game for more than 16 minutes. Maine finally made it 1-0 at 16:35 on Alex-Olivier Voyer’s goal as he popped in a rebound from outside the right post. It was a 2-0 game 61 seconds later as Cam Askew snapped a 25-footer over Appleby’s blocker and under the crossbar.
The Railers only tested Brassard once, at 10:09 of the period. He made a diving stop of Goodsir’s rebound shot from close range with Worcester on a power play.
Worcester kept the game within reach in the early part of the second period. After that, the Railers dominated play and tied the game at 2-2.
The turnaround came with Worcester killing a penalty. At 10:25 Andrei Bakanov got loose for a long breakway that Francois Brassard stopped in close. Shortly thereafter the Railers got a power play of their own and made it a 2-1 game with Coughlin converting a pass from Goodsir right in front.
Worcester had more penalty killing time after that including 41 seconds of two-men down. The Railers were still a man down when Coughlin was set up by Goodsir again, this time firing a 15-foot wrist shot home from between the circles.
Hayhurst finally put the Railers ahead with his shorthanded goal, then Coughlin hit the empty net at 17:26. Brassard was out of the net when Chase Zieky made it a 4-3 game for Portland at 18:28, but the Railers kept the puck out of the net the rest of the way.
With Worcester Railers release
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