WORCESTER, Mass. – Following a less-than-stellar four-game road trip, the Worcester Railers hosted the Newfoundland Growlers for the first time this season on Friday Night.
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Yanick Turcotte made his season debut after suffering a shoulder injury during his training camp stint with the New York Islanders. Turcotte was -1 in his return to Worcester and his night came to an end following a game misconduct in the third period. Barry Almeida and J.D. Dudek produced Worcester’s only goals, both were their second goals of the season. Linus Soderstrom made 32 saves in his DCU Center debut. Riley Woods, Matt Bradley, Scott Pooley, and Giorgio Estephan each scored for Newfoundland, with Patrick Munson earning the win with 29 saves on the night.
Worcester capitalized on their first man-advantage with Almeida netting his second of the season twenty seconds into the power-play at 5:50. Linus Soderstrom was the only thing stopping the Growlers, with 12 saves in the frame, many of which could’ve been save of the game candidates.
With Growlers putting pressure throughout the first frame, they broke through with three even-strength goals at 1:33, 4:22, and 6:57 in the second period. Those three goals came over the course of seven shots. Dudek broke the Growlers’ streak six seconds after the third Growlers’ goal but only gave the Railers a few minutes to catch their breath with Estephan scoring his fifth of the season at 14:33.
Play stopped at 4:47 in the third following a knee-to-knee collision in the Railers zone with Sergei Sapego leaving the game with little pressure on his left knee. Turcotte would also leave the game following a major penalty and a game misconduct for kneeing, leaving the Growlers with a five-minute penalty which they converted on with Woods’ second of the night at 9:23.
Things would just about be in the books up until the last minute with Ross Olsson dropping the mitts with Estephan with 56 seconds remaining in the period. Olsson accumulated 17 penalty minutes all thanks to him instigating the fight. Under rule 46.22 (Game Misconduct – Instigator In Final 5 Minutes or OT), he will be suspended for Saturday’s game against Adirondack.
The Three Stars of the Game were:
- Riley Woods (Newfoundland) – 2 goals
- Joseph Duszak (Newfoundland) – 2 assists
- Matt Bradley (Newfoundland) – 1 goal, 1 assist
Down the Track
With a 3-4 record, the Railers are below .500 for the first time this season and will need to turn things around as the Adirondack Thunder head into town on Saturday for the 7:05 puck drop.
