By Bill Ballou

WORCESTER – This was a game that some previous Railers teams, in fact as recently as a couple of weeks ago, would have found a way to lose.

Instead they got more fabulous goaltending from Henrik Tikkanen and another overtime goal from Matt DeMelis to beat the Maine Mariners in overtime, 2-1. Worcester has won four straight games. The last time the Railers did that was from Jan. 31 through Feb. 7 last season.

Tikkanen made 35 saves to outduel Luke Cavallin, who stopped 27. It was a wonderful goaltending battle, and with the game going into overtime, had a sort of post-season feel to it even though it is not yet Thanksgiving.

“Our division is playoff-like all the time,” coach Nick Tuzzolino said. “These are the type of game we have to be ready.”

DeMelis’ goal was his third of the season. Two have come in overtime. There are players who thrive in OT with all the extra space and time that playing 3 on 3 can provide. DeMelis is now on a list with skaters like Anthony Repaci, Riley Piercey and Collin Adams as OT killers.

The goal came exactly five minutes into an overtime period that the Railers dominated. Worcester had several excellent chances and just could not find a way to solve Cavallin until Riley Ginnell set up DeMelis with some time and room in deep.

He beat Cavallin from about 12 feet out.

“I had a litte bit of a plan,” DeMelis said. “I saw his blocker side was open so that’s where I wanted to put it.”

There is nothing quite like hockey and sudden death. Railers fans seemed a little extra enthusiastic when DeMelis scored. But not him.

“They all feel good,” he said.

“He’s got a very deceptive speed to him,” Tuzzolino said, “and puckhandling, and with gap it throws off defenders. He’s really good at using those triangles out there and there’s a reason he’s got two of ‘em.”

Tikkanen has been extraordinary in the last three games. He has stopped 94 of 95 shots in 185 minutes of play. His shutout streak ended at 18:19 of the second period on a shot by Maine’s Andrew Nielsen that deflected off a Railers player on the way in. The streak lasted 1:58:19. It shattered Mitch Gillam’s previous team record of 1:22:16.

The Railers took a 1-0 just before Nielsen scored. Ryan Miotto notched a power play goal at 17:59 as he poked home the rebound of a shot off the left wing.

DeMelis picked up an assist on the play.

“I’m glad we got rewarded,” Tuzzolino said of the outcome, “and the biggest thing I’m telling the group right now is that it probably wasn’t our best 40 (minutes) but we finished all of the 20 and if you’re doing things the right way and playing the right way, you don’t always have to have the best stuff to get the result. Tonight we didn’t have our best stuff and got the result.”

Worcester has not had a five-game winning streak since it took the first nine games of 2022-23 season. It will try for five at 6:05 Saturday night when it plays the new Greensboro Gargoyles for the first time in team history.

MAKING TRACKS – Calle Odelius is up with Bridgeport and the Railers signed Brendan Dowler, also a defenseman, out of the Southern League. Dowler was in the building but not in the lineup. … Kolby Johnson, Riley Piercey, Porter Schachle, and T.J. Walsh were the other Railers not in uniform. … Piercey’s suspension ended with this game and he is eligible to play again. … Hatten extended his points streak to five games with an assist. He is 4-3-7 in those games. … The Railers killed all four of their penalties and are 10 for 10 in the last three games and 15 for 16 in the last four. … Attendance was 2,333. … Worcester has won two in row from Maine for the first time since the first two games between the two of last season.

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