READING, PA – Newcomer Josh Holmstrom broke a 1-1 tie late in the third period as the Worcester Railers HC (31-25-4-4, 70 points) defeated the host Reading Royals (34-23-8-0, 76 points) by the score of 4-1 in front of 3,701 fans at the Santander Arena on Friday evening.
Mike Cornell, Josh Holmstrom, Barry Almeida, and Matt Lane scored for the Railers while Mitch Gillam was spectacular with 29 saves in net as Worcester is now four points behind the Nailers for the final playoff spot in the North Division – the Railers have two games in hand with eight games left. Nick Saracino added two assists as the Railers extended their point streak to six games (5-0-0-1) with the road victory.
Worcester came out with a quick a power play goal just 62 seconds in as Cornell (3rd goal of season) fired a bullet from on top of the right circle assisted by Frankie DiChiara and Jake Randolph. Reading answered back with a power play goal of their own as Chris McCarthy (19th) sent a hard shot from 45 feet through a screen at 10:58 to tie the score at 1-1. Shots were 13-11 in favor of Reading.
The Railers outshot the Royals 16-9 in a scoreless second period as goaltenders Mitch Gillam and Brendan Komm each stood tall. The two teams headed to the second intermission tied 1-1.
Newcomer Holmstrom (1st) broke a 1-1 tie with a great individual rush down the rightwing side and a charge towards the net with his shot that broke past Branden Komm at 15:31 of the third period. Almeida (20th) added insurance at 17:35 with his shot from behind the goal line that banked off Komm and into the net as Almeida became the Railers first 20-goal scorer. Lane (13th) added an empty netter at 19:51 as the Railers grabbed the 4-1 road win.
The Railers three game road trip continues concludes at Reading on Saturday at 7 p.m. against the Royals.
Notes: Three Stars: 3rd star: Mitch Gillam (WOR); 2nd star: Branden Komm (REA); 1st star: Josh Holmstrom (WOR)… Final shots were 43-30 in favor of Worcester… Branden Komm (14-9-3) made 39 saves on 42 shots for Reading… Mark Dekanich was the backup for Wheeling… Mitch Gillam (18-13-2) made 29 saves on 30 shots in his 15th start in the last 16 games for Worcester… Will King was the backup goaltender for the Railers… Worcester went 2-for-5 on the power play while Reading went 0-for-3… Josh Monk (injury), Justin Agosta (suspension), Chris Langkow (injury), and Tommy Kelley (injury) did not dress for Worcester… Kellen Jones, Eamon McAdam, Ryan MacKinnon, Kyle Schempp, Yanick Turcotte, and Jeff Kubiak are currently on recall with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Tommy Panico was recalled by the Iowa Wild… Josh Holmstrom made his Railers debut after he and Patrick Cullity where loaned from the Sound Tigers on Thursday… Defenseman Josh McArdle played forward for Worcester…The Railers are now 2-4-0-0 at the Santander Arena… Barry Almeida had eight shots on goal… Worcester is now 16-6-3 in their last 25 games… Gillam is now 10-3-2 in his last 15 starts… Railers broadcaster Eric Lindquist sang the Canadian national anthem before the game.
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