Railers Drop Afternoon Game 4-1 to Royals

Worcester Railers HC vs. Reading Royals

March 27th, 2022

Santander Arena

Meeting 12 of 12 vs. Reading this season

Railers are 2-8-1-1 vs. the Royals this season

Railers Drop Afternoon Game 4-1 to Royals

Charlie Spetz scores lone Worcester goal

Reading, PA  – The Worcester Railers HC (29-26-4-2, 64pts) lost to the Reading Royals (37-16-6-2, 82pts) on Sunday afternoon by the final score of 4-1 in front of a crowd of 3, 107 at Santander Arena. The Railers are in St. John’s Newfoundland at Mary Browns Centre on Friday, April 1st  to take on the Newfoundland Growlers at 5:30 p.m.

Worcester fell behind early in the first as they allowed a goal just 18 seconds into the period. Charlie Spetz (1-0-1) was able to score for Worcester eleven minutes later to tie the game 1-1. Reading would score the next three goals across the final two periods, including an empty-netter to seal the deal as they won on Sunday afternoon by a final score of 4-1.

Reading didn’t wait long to get on the board in the first, as Thomas Ebbing (27th) snuck a shot past Ken Appleby from the left circle just 18 seconds into the game. Charlie Spetz (3rd) responded for Worcester midway through the frame as Anthony Repaci found the defenseman atop the left circle who then blew it past Logan Flodell in net for the Royals. Spetz was able to tie the game with 8:22 left in the period. Neither team scored the rest of the frame, as the game went into the first intermission tied 1-1. Reading outshot Worcester in the first 14-7.

The Royals grabbed the lead 4:42 into the second period when Worcester went on the power play. Reading was able to pick up the puck back in their own end and head down ice on a two-on-one break. Brayden Low (15th) finished near side on a one-timer off of a pass from Thomas Ebbing to put Reading up 2-1. The Royals followed up nine minutes later when Frank DiChiara (12th) worked a give and go with Kenny Hausinger. DiChiara ended up with the puck low far side, and shot it past an outstretched Ken Appleby to give Reading the 3-1 lead going into the third. Worcester was outshot 8-6 in the second as Reading led in shots 22-13 through 40.

In the third period, Railers veteran Bobby Butler thought he had scored a goal to get Worcester back to within one, but the goal was waved off and the Railers deficit remained at two. As the Railers pulled Ken Appleby with just over two minutes left, Thomas Ebbing (28th) picked up the puck along the near side in the neutral zone and rifled it half the length of the ice into the empty net to give the game its final score of 4-1. Shots in the third favored the Royals 10-7, as Reading outshot Worcester 32-20 on the game.

Notes: Three Stars: 3rd Star: Frank DiChiara (1-0-1, +1, 2 shots), 2nd Star: Thomas Ebbing (2-1-3, +2, 3 shots), 1st Star: Brayden Low (1-1-2, +1, 6 shots)… Final shots were 32-20 in favor of Reading… Logan Flodell (7-5-1) made 19 saves on 20 shots for Reading… Ken Appleby (11-11-1) made 28 saves on 31 shots for Worcester, while Colten Ellis served as the backup… Worcester went 0-for-2 on the power play while Reading went 0-for-2… Liam Coughlin (IR), Felix Bibeau (IR), Chris Ordoobadi (IR), Grant Jozefek (IR), Nolan Vesey (DNP), Cole Coskey (DNP), Myles McGurty (DNP), and Cole Coskey (DNP) did not dress for Worcester… Jacob Hayhurst led the Railers in shots with 3… The Railers are now 18-23-2-1 all-time vs. the Royals and 7-14-1-1 at Santander Arena against Reading.