PORTLAND, ME – March 17, 2023 – The Worcester Railers used the special teams edge to rally back and defeat the Mariners 4-3 on Friday night at the Cross Insurance Arena. Liam Coughlin led the way with the hat trick including one of two Railers shorthanded goals.
Capping off a strong opening period, the Mariners scored twice in a 61 second span to jump to a 2-0 lead. Alex-Olivier Voyer got the first, when he followed Alex Kile’s slot shot off the pad of Ken Appleby at 16:35. On the goal, Kile set a new Mariners franchise record with his 68th career assist. A little over a minute later, Cam Askew drove into the zone and unleashed a wicked wrister past Appleby’s blocker to double the lead.
A pair of specials teams goals by the Railers tied the game up in the middle frame, both from the same player. Liam Coughlin tipped home Adam Goodsir’s pass right in the goal mouth on the power play at 12:27, getting Worcester on the board. Coughlin then scored shorthanded at 18:16, again from Goodsir to knot the game at two, which was the score after 40 minutes.
The score remained tied at two until just over three minutes to play in regulation, when Jacob Hayhurst led a shorthanded 2-on-1 and snuck one through Francois Brassard to give Worcester its first lead. Coughlin finished his hat trick with an empty net goal 36 seconds later. Down, but not out, Chase Zieky’s backhand goal with 1:32 to go gave the Mariners a chance to get even, but Appleby would make 32 stops to hold it down.
It was Maine’s fourth loss in a row, while the Railers have now won three straight. Worcester kept its hopes alive for the VIP Rivalry Cup, but the Mariners still lead the season series 4-2-1 and can clinch the cup with their next regulation win.
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