By Bill Ballou
WORCESTER – The Railers’ recovery from a slow start has been fueled by great goaltending. They got some again Saturday night but it wasn’t enough as they were shut out by the Norfolk Admirals, 3-0.
Isaac Poulter made 22 saves to record the whitewash for the winners. It was the second of his career against Worcester. The other one happened almost exactly three years ago. He blanked the Railers, 7-0, on Dec. 23, 2022 while playing for Adirondack.
Thomas Gale was the losing goalie for Worcester but turned in a winning performance and earned the Number 3 star. He made just his second start of the season, first since Nov. 9. He has also made one relief appearance. Tristan Lennox, just off the injured list, was the Railers’ backup. Parker Gahegan got the night off completely after having appeared in nine straight games.
The visitors beat Gale just once. Their last two goals were empty netters. He made 23 saves and kept it a winnable game.
Shutouts happen, but this one was especially painful since Norfolk’s only regulation goal was shorthanded. Chase Yoder scored it at 14:34 of the second period as the Railers mishandled the puck behind their own net.
It came out to Yoder just outside the crease and he was able to get it past Gale.
Jack Jaunich and Kristof Papp had the empty net goals.
The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for Norfolk. Admirals were 2-15-0 in their previous 17 games before Saturday night.
They kept the Railers pinned in their own zone for long stretches of the game and blocked a lot of shots in front of Poulter. Any good chances Worcester had, Poulter took care of.
Gale’s performance was the latest in a long string of standout games by Railers goaltenders. Worcester is 10-5-0 in its last 15 games. Its goalies have posted a 1.82 goals-against average in that span and a remarkable .941 saves percentage.
The game was the 72nd as head coach for Nick Tuzzolino. That is the equivalent of a full ECHL season. His record for those games is 37-27-8, good for a .569 winning percentage.
That is second to the IceCats’ Don Granato among the city’s various coaches.
MAKING TRACKS – Aside from the goaltender the Railers went with the same lineup as Friday night. … The Railers and Admirals are scheduled to play four more times this season, three of the games in Norfolk. The DCU Center game is set for March 11. … The schedule has Worcester playing four more games in 2025. They are at Maine Friday, at home Saturday and Sunday versus Adirondack, and New Year’s Eve at Wheeling.
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