Railers Open Two-Game Road Trip with 2-1 Loss to Lions

Worcester Railers HC at Trois-Rivières Lions

December 21st, 2022

Colisée Vidéotron

Meeting 3 of 6 vs. Trois-Rivières this season

Railers are 2-1-0-0 vs. the Lions this season

Worcester Opens Two-Game Road Trip with 2-1 Loss to Lions

Collin Adams scores in third straight game for Worcester

Trois-Rivières, QC – The Worcester Railers HC (18-8-1-0 37 points) faced the Trois-Rivieres Lions (11-11-0-0 22 points) Wednesday night at the Colisee Videotron arena in front of 2,252 people. The Worcester Railers fell short 2-1 against the Lions. The Railers play their last game before the break on Friday, December 23rd against the Adirondack Thunder at 7:00 p.m. from the Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls, NY.

Collin Adams (1-0-1) scored the first goal of the game for the Railers off his own rebound assisted by Bobby Butler (0-1-1). Ryan Francis (1-0-1) scored the first goal for the Lions in the second period thanks to an assist from Lions captain Cedric Montminy (0-1-1). The Lions scored again minutes later when Nicolas Guay (0-1-1) took a shot at Tikkanen, and it rebounded to William Leblanc (1-0-1) right in front of the net who scored and won the game for Trois-Rivières, 2-1.

Before the puck dropped, Blade Jenkins and Ken Appleby both were called up to the Bridgeport Islanders earlier in the week. Henrik Tikkanen (9-5-0) started his second game in a row, and quickly made a big save directly in front of his net early into the game. Reece Newkirk and Quinn Ryan both had good opportunities to score but Lions goaltender Philippe Desrosiers stopped both attempts. Collin Adams (11th) scored the first goal of the game. Adams and Bobby Butler were on a two-on-two break when Butler passed the puck to Adams who skated past the Lions defender and fired a shot at Desrosiers. Desrosiers saved the first shot off his blocker, but it ended up right on the tape of Adams, he sent a second shot that went past Desrosiers for the first score of the game. Not too long after, the Railers were on the penalty kill after a tripping call sent Nolan Vesey to the box. The Railers killed that penalty successfully thanks to some incredible saves by Tikkanen. Tikkanen got run into on the powerplay and lost his stick and proceeded to make a set of saves without it. Anthony Beauregard got called for hooking, putting Worcester on the powerplay. Worcester was not able to find the back of the net on the powerplay despite some great looks at the net. The Railers led 1-0 at the end of the first period while outshooting the Lions 13-11.

Three minutes into the second period Reese Newkirk was able to draw a penalty, putting The Railers on their second powerplay. The Railers were unable to get a shot into the back of the net but that wasn’t for lack of opportunity. They had a handful of opportunities including a shot by Jimmy Lambert that went off the pipe. A few minutes later, Trois-Rivières had their own bad luck with the iron as one of their shots went off the post after they beat Tikkanen on the far side. Nine minutes into the period, Ryan Francis (4th) received a pass from Cedric Montminy in the attacking zone and caught the Railers off guard.  He then fired it past Tikkanen to give Trois-Rivières their first goal of the game and make it 1-1. The Lions scored again when Nicolas Guay took a shot at Tikkanen, and it rebounded to William Leblanc (5th) right in front of the net. Jared Brandt was heavily guarding Leblanc but after a nice spin move, Leblanc found himself open enough to send a shot at Tikkanen which ended up in the back of the net to make it 2-1 Trois-Rivières at the end of the second period. Worcester was outshot in the second period 6-9 and was outshot in the game 20-19.

The Railers started the third period down 2-1, looking for their first third-period comeback this season. Was a quiet third period with not much happening as both teams traded shots, Worcester looking for that one shot to sneak past Desrosiers. With just under three minutes, Worcester would get on the Power-play when Brett Stapley was called for a slash with 2:39 to go in regulation. While on the penalty kill the Lions got called for another slashing penalty to make it a five-on-three. The Railers won the faceoff, so Tikkanen went to the bench making it a six-on-three. The Lions had a successful clear at the same time Stapley came out of the penalty box, but Stapley got whistled for another penalty with twenty-two seconds left in the game. The Railers could not capitalize on the power play and fell to the Lions 2-1.

Notes: 3rd star: Henrik Tikkanen (28 saves, 2GA, .933 SV%), 2nd star: Ryan Francis (1-0-1, +1, 5 shots), 1st star: Philippe Desrosiers (37 saves, 1 GA, .974 SV%) Henrik Tikkanen was in goal for the Railers, he was backed up by Bret Moran. Philippe Desrosiers was in net for the Lions, and he was backed up by Francis Marotte.