
Railers Take Weekend Series With 2-1 Win Over Admirals
March 15, 2025 - ECHL (ECHL)
Worcester Railers HC News Release
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.
#RailersHC
• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...
ECHL Stories from March 15, 2025
- Heartlanders Get 'Goalie'D' Again in Rapid City, 1-0 - Iowa Heartlanders
- Steelheads Shut Out 4-0 In Series Finale Vs. Tahoe - Idaho Steelheads
- Railers Take Weekend Series With 2-1 Win Over Admirals - Worcester Railers HC
- Danny Katic Drills Oilers in 6-3 Win - Bloomington Bison
- Blades Double up Solar Bears - Florida Everblades
- Bison Hold Onto Lead, Flip Result Over Oilers - Tulsa Oilers
- Walleye Clinch Kelly Cup Playoff Berth in Comeback Win at Kalamazoo - Toledo Walleye
- Joey Cipollone Spoils the Shutout with 4 Seconds Left in Regulation, But Atlanta Loses 3-1 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Luck Of The Irish Runs Out In Third Period - Wheeling Nailers
- K-Wings Thrill 5,328 on Green Ice, Fall to Walleye in Shootout - Kalamazoo Wings
- Komets Come from Behind to Defeat Wheeling 5-3 - Fort Wayne Komets
- Mariners Settle for Three Point Weekend in Glens Falls - Maine Mariners
- Thunder Defeat Mariners in OT, 5-4 - Adirondack Thunder
- Stingrays Defeat Gladiators 3-1 in Final Regular Season Meeting - South Carolina Stingrays
- Admirals Fall in Regular Season Finale to Worcester - Norfolk Admirals
- Fuel Claim 2-1 Victory in Cincinnati on Saturday - Indy Fuel
- Home Point Streak Pushed to Eight in Overtime Loss to Mavericks - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Russell Heads Back to San Jose - Wichita Thunder
- 'Clones Fall to the Fuel 2-1 - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Game Day #59 - Lions de Trois-Rivières vs. Reading Royals - Trois-Rivieres Lions
- Zach Massicotte Loaned to Belleville Senators - Maine Mariners
- Admirals Sign Spitserov to Amateur Tryout Contract - Norfolk Admirals
- ECHL Transactions - March 15 - ECHL
- Swamp Rabbits Sign Pierce Charleson - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Carson Denomie Scores Twice, But Atlanta Falls 6-3 on Home Ice - Atlanta Gladiators
- ECHL Announces Fine, Suspension - ECHL
- Rush Game Notes: March 15, 2025 vs. Iowa Heartlanders - Rapid City Rush
- Matt Miller & Sam Sedley Loaned to Reading by Lehigh Valley - Reading Royals
- Four-Goal Third Takes Savannah to 6-2 Win - Florida Everblades
- Rush Score Twice in Third Period, Win Third Straight Game - Rapid City Rush
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Worcester Railers HC Stories
- Worcester Railers HC Announces Railers Foundation Employee Giving Program
- Railers' Comeback Falls Short in 4-3 Shootout Loss to Royals
- Former Railer Tristan Lennox Makes NHL Debut
- Connor Welsh Named All-ECHL Second Team Defenseman
- Worcester Railers Weekly Update - Week 25

