Railers Fall 5-4 to Steelheads in Back-and-Forth Overtime Game

Worcester Railers HC vs. Idaho Steelheads

February 25th, 2022

Idaho Central Arena

Meeting 2 of 3 vs. Idaho this season

Railers are 1-0-1-0 vs. the Steelheads this season

Railers Fall 5-4 to Steelheads in Back-and-Forth Overtime Game

Worcester scores three goals on the power play.

Boise, ID  – The Worcester Railers HC (21-20-3-1, 46pts) fell to the Idaho Steelheads (29-20-2-1, 61pts) in overtime on Friday night by the final score of 5-4 in front of a crowd of 5277 at Idaho Central Arena. The Railers are back at Idaho Central Arena to take on the Idaho Steelheads on Saturday, February 26th at 9:10 p.m. EST.

Idaho opened things up with a goal midway through the first, making it 1-0 Steelheads. Myles McGurty (1-0-1) responded 4:35 later with his first of the season, tying things up 1-1. Idaho quickly bounced back and regained the lead forty-five seconds later, and would go into the locker room up 2-1. Reece Newkirk (1-0-1) drilled one home on the power play quickly in the second and tied things up at 2-2. Idaho controlled the middle of the frame, recording two power play goals to jump ahead 4-2. Cole Coskey (1-2-3) scored Worcester’s second power play goal of the night with just 1:27 left in the frame to make it a 4-3 game. Worcester once again found themselves heading into the break down by a goal. Nolan Vesey (1-1-2) notched the third power play goal of the night for Worcester 6:28 into the third, as the game was once again tied up at 4-4. In overtime it would be Idaho’s own third goal on the power play of the evening, as the Steelheads emerged victorious, 5-4.

The Worcester penalty kill was tested early against Idaho. The Railers found themselves in a three-on-five situation for 49 seconds, with Charlie Spetz and Nick Albano having gone to the box for holding and high sticking respectively. Much like it has been for the entirety of their western road trip, Worcester’s penalty kill stayed hot, as the Steelheads failed to capitalize on the chance. Idaho would ultimately break through first as Darren Brady (5th) weaved his way into the attacking end and unleashed a wrist shot between the hashmarks to beat Ellis and make it 1-0 Steelheads. The Railers responded five minutes later as Myles McGurty threw the puck on net from the left boards and ended up beating Jake Kupsky in net for Idaho, tying the game 1-1 with 3:53 left in the first. Just forty-five seconds later, Colton Kehler (11th) gloved down a flying puck in the right side of the Worcester zone and then sent a wrist shot past Ellis to put Idaho back ahead going into the break, 2-1. Shots in the first favored Idaho 14-13.

Worcester spent the first 1:55 of the second period on their own five-on-three situation, thanks penalties taken by Mason Mitchell and Colby McAuley during a scrum at the end of the first period. For the seventh straight game, and ninth game out of the last ten, Worcester came through on the power play. Sixty-two seconds into the period, Reece Newkirk received a dot-to-dot pass from Cole Coskey, and then beat Kupsky far side and tied the game 2-2. Mid way through the period, the Idaho power play got to work. On the man-advantage, Colby McAuley cranked a slapshot from the left side which was saved by Ellis, but Matt Tugnutt (6th) batted in the rebound out in front to put Idaho back ahead 3-2. Tugnutt (7th) followed up again on the power play six minutes later as he received a backdoor feed from A.J. White and tapped it home, pushing the Steelheads lead to 4-2. With only 1:27 to go in the period, Worcester scored on the power play for the second time in the game and got back to within one. Cole Coskey ripped a heavy wrist shot from atop the right circle, beating Kupsky and getting Worcester within one. Shots in the second favored Idaho 21-6. Idaho outshot Worcester 35-19 through 40.

For the third time on the night, Worcester’s power-play was able to connect. Nolan Vesey (10th) was parked out in front as Nick Alabno unleashed a clapper from atop the point. Vesey was able to deflect the puck past Kupsky on the way in, and tied the game 4-4 with 13:32 left in regulation. Neither team would budge for the remainder of the frame, as the game would head into overtime tied 4-4. Shots in the third favored Idaho 10-6, and in the game favored the Steelheads 45-25.

4:07 into the seven minute three-on-three overtime period, Worcester’s Anthony Repaci was called on a holding penalty, giving the Steelheads their eighth man-advantage of the night. Despite numerous impressive saves made by Colten Ellis for the Railers in the overtime period, Idaho was able to capitalize on the power play for the third time of the game, as A.J. White (18th) released a wrist shot from the right side to sound the horn and give Idaho the 5-4 overtime victory. Shots in the overtime period were in favor of Idaho 4-2, as they outshot Worcester 49-27 in the game.

Notes:

Three Stars: 3rd Star: Colten Ellis (44 saves, 5 GA, .898 SV%), 2nd Star: Matt Tugnutt (2-0-2, 2PPG, 4 shots), 1st Star: A.J. White (1-2-3, GWG, +2, 4 shots)…Final shots were 49-27 in favor of Idaho… Jake Kupsky (13-9-0) made 23 saves on 27 shots for Idaho… Colten Ellis (12-4-3) made 44 saves on 49 shots for Worcester, while Jimmy Poreda served as the backup… Worcester went 3-for-7 on the power play while Idaho went 3-for-8… Will Cullen (DNP), Blake Christensen (DNP), Ross Olsson (DNP), John Furgele (IR), Bobby Butler (IR), and Grant Jozefek (IR) did not dress for Worcester… Liam Coughlin now has assists in seven straight games for the Railers… Worcester has now scored power play goals in their last seven games… Austin Osmanski, Reece Newkirk, and Cole Coskey each led the Railers in shots with 4… The Railers are now 1-0-1-0 all-time vs. the Steelheads and 1-0-1-0 at the Idaho Central Arena against Idaho.