RAILERS TAKE WEEKEND SERIES WITH 2-1 WIN OVER ADMIRALS

By Bill Ballou

WORCESTER – The Railers have not played seven periods of sudden death overtime the last two nights here, it only feels that way.

Less than 24 hours after Worcester took a wild 6-5 decision from the Norfolk Admirals, the Railers beat the southerners, 2-1, in an equally tense affair Saturday night. The victory kept them two points ahead of Reading in the North Division playoff race, although the Royals do have two games in hand.

Reading also won Saturday night. It beat Trois-Rivieres, 2-1.

As can happen when teams are playing a third game in three days, this was a goaltending duel. The winner was Michael Bullion, who stopped 27 of 28 shots. He beat Thomas Milic, who was spectacular in the third period and made 25 saves on 27 shots.

The game ended appropriately.

The Admirals pulled Milic in favor of an extra skater. They won a faceoff with four seconds left in the third period and got the puck to Graham Sward at the left point. He delivered a slap shot from about 55 feet and Bullion, following it all the way, smothered the puck in his gut as the green light went on.

“I got a sight line,” Bullion said, “so I was watching it the whole time, and I stayed high the whole time, then just went down and ate it.”

Had the shot gone in, it probably would have counted. Bullion made sure there was no replay needed and was happy to hear the buzzer.

“Yeah, that was really nice,” he said.

The Railers got goals from Matt DeMelis and Anthony Callin. They had a 2-0 lead going into the third period but gave up a shorthanded goal to Sean Montgomery at 8:28. That left the Admirals with a lot of time to tie it, or worse.

Worcester’s penalty killing was once again a key factor in a victory. The Railers were 4 for 4 while shorthanded (all four penalties were for slashing) and are 20 for 20 in the last six games.

“Right now it is getting guys who are comfortable with each other and super aggressive,” coach Nick Tuzzolino said of the killers. “There are certain penalty kill details you have to follow — good sticks, lots of shot blocks — and your goalie has to be your best penalty killer and Michael was ours tonight.”

DeMelis scored at 9:56 of the first period with a high shot from between the circles. He was set up nicely by Tyler Kobryn, who fed him from the right boards. Callin’s goal came a lot later, at 15:49 of the second period, and from a similar spot in the slot but at the other end of the rink.

Matthew Kopperud made the pass.

Montgomery stole the puck at the right point and had a long breakaway. He put a 25-footer over Bullion’s blocker.

The Railers had three fabulous chances to get a third goal in that third period but Milic made memorable saves on Loughran at 2:00, Jordan Kaplan at 5:30 and Anthony Repaci at 10:10.

The Admirals goalie kept them in the game, but he could not win it for them.

The Railers have 11 regular season games left. Their playoff push resumes Friday night in Maine versus the Mariners, who are longshots in the post-season picture but always troublesome. The first-place Trois-Rivieres Lions are at the DCU Center Saturday and Sunday.

“This group, no matter what happens with them, they are battle tested,” Tuzzolino said. “They have a good foundation. They know how to play with a lead in the third period, and if and when we hopefully make it to that mark and that push, it’s gonna echo in the in the post-season if we get there.

“Because they’ve been playing in the post-season for the last month.”

MAKING TRACKS – The 2025 WooSox were part of the festivities. They open at Polar Park in less than two weeks, on March 28. … Loughran had a hat trick of sorts. He was called for three slashing penalties. … The Railers are done with Norfolk for the regular season. Through the years Worcester has played the Admirals well. It is 14-10-2 versus Norfolk overall, 9-5-1 on home ice. … Repaci had another point, an assist, and is 1-4-5 in three games since returning to action. … Milic started, and finished, all three games for the Admirals. He is the first opposition goalie to ever do that in a 3-in-3 versus Worcester. .. The Railers’ overtime victory Friday set a new team and all-city record for most such triumphs in a season. Three other teams had six — the 2022-23 Railers, 2008-09 Sharks, and 1995-96 IceCats. … Worcester has historically a hard time in the last game of 3 in 3s, so this was a positive change. The Railers are 19-34-5 all-time in Game 3s.

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