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Matt DeMelis leads Railers past Norfolk in final seconds of regulation
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- Matt DeMelis leads Railers past Norfolk in final seconds of regulation
NORFOLK, VA — The Worcester Railers (17-17-2-1) sailed away with a 6-5 win over the Norfolk Admirals (14-20-2-0) on Saturday in front of a crowd of 4,496 fans at the Norfolk Scope Arena.
The Railers will wrap up their Norfolk roadtrip on Sunday at 3:05 p.m., as they go head-to-head with the Admirals for their third of three meetings of the weekend.
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Norfolk struck first with a goal from Brady Fleurent (1-0-1), who gave the Admirals a 0-1 lead with a shot out in front to start the first. Drew Callin (1-1-2) answered the goal with a tally of his own at 15:30 to tie the game for the Railers one a piece.
Kevin Conley (2-1-3) broke the tie for the Admirals and reestablished their lead at 17:35. Jesse Pulkkinen (1-0-1) closed out the first period with a final goal of his own to re-tie the matchup 2-2.
Anthony Repaci (1-1-2) scored the lone goal for the Railers in the second period, a low one-timer, which handed the Railers the game lead for the first time of the evening (3-2).
Grant Hebert (1-1-2) answered Repaci’s play with a final backdoor goal at 19:43 to close the period as a tie game once more (3-3). Conley kicked off the scoring streak for the third period, his goal the first of five scored between both sides throughout the third.
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Conley’s one-timer brought the score up 3-4 for the Admirals. Worcester newcomer Khristian Acosta (1-0-1) picked up his first goal as a Railer sixty seconds after Conley’s (4-4). Norfolk re-established their lead once more with a score from Chase Yoder (1-0-1) (5-4).
Lincoln Hatten (1-1-2) nabbed the Railers’ fifth game goal at 16:26 with a forceful slapshot from the left side of the Admirals’ zone (5-5) before the Railers secured their 6-5 victory with a final goal from Matt DeMelis (1-1-2), who put the puck away with 14.2 left on the clock.
The Admirals picked up the first goal of the game at 6:01 in the opening frame. As the puck was played around the boards, Grant Hebert gained control and stretched a pass to Brady Fleurent (14th), who sent the puck over Railers netminder Tristan Lennox for the one-goal lead. Worcester headed onto their first power play of the night at 13:18, a slashing call on the Admirals’ Brody Crane.
The Railers did not capitalize on the opportunity, but a goal from Drew Callin (11th) at 15:30 just after its expiration would answer Norfolk’s score to tie the game. A shot from brother Anthony Callin went off Alex Worthington in the net for Norfolk and set up the rebound, which bounced off Drew Callin and in. Norfolk quickly retaliated with another goal of their own at 17:35, this time from Kevin Conley, a tip off a blue line pass from Brehdan Engum (1-2).
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Jesse Pulkkinen closed out the period with another tally for the Railers to re-establish the tie (2-2). Anthony Callin fed the puck to Pulkkinen out at the blue from the left circle, and Pulkkinen capitalized on the assist with a slap shot sent soaring over Worthington. Worcester outshot Norfolk 12-6, with one fulfilled power play and zero penalties. Norfolk gathered two penalties over the course of the first.
Worcester started the second period on the man advantage as Chase Yoder skated his way into the box for interference. Neither a power play nor a shorthanded goal was scored on the action. The Railers, however, grabbed another goal for themselves at 13:34. Lincoln Hatten found himself tied up with an Admiral in the offensive zone.
With a quick pass to Anthony Repaci (11th), Repaci took the puck to the net and spun it underneath Worthington to give the Railers the 3-2 lead. The lead lasted a few minutes before Grant Hebert (8th) scored a power-play goal at 19:43 to close the period, once again at a tie game with the Railers (3-3). Norfolk led in shots on goal, 11-5, and in penalty counts, two to Worcester’s one.
The third period showcased both teams’ offensive skills. From continuous six minutes of unbroken play to back-to-back goals, there was no lack of action for the final twenty minutes. Kevin Conley (7th) found the back of the net with a one-timer that volleyed off the left post behind the back of Lennox.
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The Railers’ newest edition, Khristian Acosta (1st), charged the net of Worthington to settle a rebound shot from linemate MacAuley Carson to get his first ECHL goal (4-4).
Another Norfolk tally, a cross-ice setup from Josh McDougall, led Chase Yoder (10th) to grab his first point of the night and put Norfolk ahead once more (5-4). Lincoln Hatten (11th) tied the game for the fourth time of the evening with a quick slapshot past Worthington’s outstretched glove, set up by Riley Piercey from behind the Admirals’ net with just 3:34 to go in regulation (5-5).
Norfolk’s seven-game win streak ended with 14.2 left on the clock. Matt DeMelis (12th) lit the lamp for the Railers one last time. DeMelis sliced a shot out in front of Worthington and narrowly pushed the puck into the crease.
The goal secured the Railers’ 6-5 victory in regulation as the final seconds on the clock ran out. Final shots were 26-25 in favor of Norfolk. Norfolk finished the game with four penalties while Worcester closed the game with one.
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NOTES:
Three stars: 3rd Star: Drew Callin (1-1-2, +0, 3 shots), 2nd Star: Kevin Conley (2-1-2, +0, 3 shots), 1st Star: Matt DeMelis (1-1-2, GWG, +2, 3 shots)…
Final shots were 26-25 in favor of Norfolk… Alex Worthington (1-9-2) made 19 saves on 25 shots, while Tristan Lennox (3-9-0) made 21 saves on 26 shots… Worcester went 1-for-4 on power plays while Norfolk went 1-for-1…
The Railers are now 4-3-0-0 all-time vs. the Admirals and 2-2-0-0 at the Norfolk Scope Arena…Anthony Hora, Michael Ferrandino, Case McCarthy, Riley Ginnell, Lazarus Kaebel, Ross Mitton, Hunter Hall, and Thomas Gale did not dress for Worcester…
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Khristian Acosta made his Worcester Railers and ECHL debut… Khristian Acosta grabbed his first goal and first point as a Railer in the third period…
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