By Bill Ballou

WORCESTER – Maybe a trip south is what the Railers need to start going north in their division.

They lost to Wheeling Sunday afternoon, 5-3, and were swept by the Nailers in their two-game weekend visit to the DCU Center. Worcester will play eight of its next nine games on the road starting with three against the Greensboro Gargoyles in Waffle House country later this week.

The Railers’ only home game in the next 26 days will be versus Reading on Nov. 22.

The afternoon started fairly well for the home team as it scored the first goal, generally a good omen. It ended with Wheeling scoring five of the next seven, though.

For the day their goals were scored by Adam Samuelsson, Jordan Kaplan and Vinny Corcoran. Sam Stange had two assists. Gabe Carriere stopped 26 of 31 shots.

Connor Federkow had an assist, his first in 23 games with Worcester.

Wheeling got two goals from Matt Crasa. Dustin Geregach was 1-1-2, Dante Sheriff 1-2-3 and Remy Parker had a goal. Nailers goaltender Philip Svedeback made 14 saves.

Samuelsson put Worcester ahead with a nifty goal at 9:27 of the first period. He beat Svedeback with a 45-footer from the base of the left boards. Samuellson had about six square inches to shoot for in the top right corner and put the puck right there.

It was the first goal by a Railers defenseman this season and the second of Samuellson’s career in Worcester. His first one last season came in his 59th game. It took just three this year.

Geregach tied it at 17:21. The puck went in over Carriere’s glove as it changed direction on the way in from the left side.

The Railers sagged in the second period, though, and fell behind by 3-1 as the clock headed toward 12 minutes. Parker put a 35-footer off the far post from the left circle at 8:40. Crasa batted in a second rebound to give Wheeling a two-goal edge at 11:19.

Kaplan gave his team some momentum with a power play goal at 18:46. He was set up just in front of the net by Sterzer, who carried the puck down the right side.

The final period was a dud. Crasa scored at 10:14, then Corcoran slammed home a pass from Anthony Repaci at 12:12 to make it 4-3. That marked Worcester’s first shot on goal of the period. Sheriff’s goal at 15:25 was a weird one from a tough angle to the right of the Railers net.

MAKING TRACKS – Sterzer has played well the last two games. He had a goal Saturday and an assist Sunday. He also fought Kolby Johnson to a draw in the game’s final minute. … The pre-game warmups were preceeded by some neutral zone interactions, none of which resulted in injury or punishment. … The weekend series was an interesting matchup, although not historic. Both teams have new affiliates. The Railers are starting with the Blues while Wheeling is with Columbus after 28 years with the Penguins. … There were two changes in Worcester’s defensive deployment. Federkow and Gabe Blanchard replaced Connor Moore and Anthony Kehrer who were recalled by Hartford. … Both teams had one power play goal. The Railers’ special teams deficit so far is 10 goals.

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