Special Teams The Difference In Railers' Win Over Wheeling

Special teams can often be the difference between winning and losing.

Such was the case in the Worcester Railers’ 4-3 victory over the Wheeling Nailers on Saturday at DCU Center in Worcester.

The Nailers came into the game having not allowed a power-play goal in 13 straight road contests. Worcester, however, boasted one of the top power-play units in the ECHL, and they backed it up with three of their four goals coming on the man advantage.

Anthony Callin was a factor in each of the Railers’ four goals, scoring two goals and adding two assists. He also tallied the game-winner.

Just one minute into the game, the Railers opened the scoring on a power play. Connor Welsh fed Anthony Repaci, who rifled a wrister in from the right faceoff dot. It was the first power-play goal allowed by Wheeling on the road since Nov. 1.

The Nailers drew even at 1-1 less than five minutes later. Peter Laviolette took the puck off the end wall and sent a pass to Matt Koopman at the blue line. Koopman fired a slap shot from the right side of the slot into the top-left corner of the cage.

The seesaw affair continued into the second period. Worcester took the lead at the 3:26 mark, but not without controversy.

Callin collided with Nailers goaltender Sergei Murashov, which allowed Riley Ginnell to get a slap shot into the open net. After video review, the goal stood.

The Nailers tied the game once again at 9:06. Gabe Klassen sent a beauty of a pass to the top-right corner of the crease, where Atley Calvert was waiting to tip it in on a power play.

The Nailers, however, received a penalty on the very next shift, and Worcester made them pay. Callin put in a wrister through traffic and into the top-right corner of the net past Murashov.

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That goal also went under review, but counted.

Three minutes later, Worcester had a goal called back for goaltender interference. That gave Wheeling an opportunity to tally another tying goal from a Chris Ortiz wrister for a 3-3 game.

The third period was a battle of defense, with only seven shots taken between the two teams. One of them was the game-winner, and it came on another power-play chance.

Welsh set up Callin at the left faceoff dot, and he whipped a wrist shot into the top-right corner for the 4-3 Railers victory.

Goalie Michael Bullion picked up the win for Worcester, stopping 29 of 32 shots. He’s now won two consecutive games and is 3-0-1 over his last four contests.

Murashov suffered his first regular-season loss in his last 16 games, saving 19 of 23 shots.

This was the third game in seven days between the two teams, with the Railers taking five of a possible six points against Wheeling. The teams will wrap up their season series Sunday in Worcester, with puck drop set for 3:05 Pm ET.