The Railers Junior Hockey Club and the Boston Junior Rangers were ready for their fial round-robin play on Saturday. Worcester (2-0) had already punched its ticket to Championship Sunday, while the Rangers (0-1-1) needed a win and some help in the afternoon game.
Myles Kidd scored two goals and led the Railers to a 4-1 win, eliminating the Rangers from the post-season.
Two goalies would get a look today who had not seen action at Providence prior to this game. Dom Walecka got the nod for the Railers, and Luciano Chinappi for Boston.
The Railers came out flying scoring in under two minutes. Kidd fired a shot off the post and in from the right wing side. It was Kidd’s fourth goal of the playoffs and first at Providence.
Through the first five minutes, BJR did not have a shot on goal. As the period went on the Rangers woke up, making it difficult for the Railers to escape their own zone they were able to create some offense. The Railers got the game’s first power play, but it was short-lived as Kidd would sit for a slash soon after. Walecka would keep Boston off the board on their abbreviated power play.
Kidd could not be stopped, scoring again in the first period with just 2:17 to go. After the first twenty, the Railers had a 2-0 lead.
Boston would head to the power play just 15 seconds into the second period with a chance to cut the Railers lead in half. A minute twenty later Jaymin Rolfe took a slashing penalty and the door creaked open a little more for BJR. Knowing they needed goals BJR pulled their goalie to make it a 6 on 3 and Tim Mattingly scored right off the draw to cut the lead to 2-1.
With 1:54 of 5-on-4 time BJR pushed for a second goal. The Railers were able to kill off the rest of the power play and another one soon thereafter.
A penalty-filled second continued with BJR’s Elijah Young heading to the box for interference. Chinappi stood tall in the crease and kept the Railers lead to just one. Penalties were the theme of the second. Max Beaulac took a cross-checking penalty after the whistle. The penalty kill was strong for the Railers and they would get a power play of their own shortly thereafter. And they cashed in.
Will Celli scored his second in Providence on a great feed from Jaymin Rolfe. The second period ended with the Railers up 3-1. The shots on goal after two were 27-20 Railers.
The Rangers knew they would need at least four goals to have a chance to make it to Championship Sunday. After a push from BJR, Aidan Wicker scored his first at Providence to put the Railers up 4-1 nine minutes into the third.
The Railers held on to their three-goal lead and won the contest 4-1. Walecka stopped 23 of the 24 shots he faced and the Railers swept round-robin play, waiting to see who they will play in Sunday’s title game.
Railers coach Jon Fine-Lease had this to say about the rivalry:
“No matter what time of year you play BJR there is something in the air.” he said.
Kidd had praise for his teammates.
“It was the guys I was paired with… Celli and TC (Carron) played unreal.” the Railers forward said. “
“We played amazing today, never got too high or too low,” Will Celli added.
** Story by Mike Basile
