#BrycenMartin

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KEELEY: GARRETT CECERE RETURNS TO MARINERS

Mariners bring back another blue-liner BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners  PORTLAND, ME – July 10, 2019 – The Mariners announced another re-signing on Wednesday, bringing back defenseman Garrett Cecere. One of four players to spend the entirety of the 2018-19 season in Maine, Cecere becomes the fourth Mariners defenseman to re-sign, along with Josh Couturier, Derek Pratt, and Rich Boyd. As a rookie, Cecere skated in 49 games for the Mariners in 2018-19, scoring one goal and adding six assists. The goal came in his second professional game on October 19th at home against the Reading Royals. In the same game, fellow rookie defenseman Derek Pratt scored his first pro goal as well. Although he was in and out of the lineup, Cecere joined Brycen Martin, Ryan Ferrill, and Dwyer Tschantz as the only four players to spend the entire 2018-19 season on the Mariners roster. “I can’t wait to be back in Portland this season,” said Cecere. “Last season was a great stepping stone for myself and our team and I’m excited to be part of a solid core to help get the Mariners into the playoffs.” The 24-year-old defenseman played two seasons for Northeastern University (Boston, MA), where he had 11 assists in 72 career games. In his senior season, Cecere was an alternate captain and finished third on the team in blocked shots, with 54. Prior to Northeastern, Cecere was at Colorado College, returning to junior hockey in the midst of his sophomore season. Cecere was a part of three USHL organizations (Sioux Falls, Tri-City, and Dubuque), as well as the Janesville Jets of the NAHL. He’s originally from West Des Moines, IA, and played for the storied Shattuck St. Mary’s Program in Minnesota prior to his junior career. Cecere’s older brother Nick (also a defenseman), had a brief ECHL career, playing 12 games for the Alaska Aces (the former Mariners membership) in 2015-16. The second season of Maine Mariners ECHL hockey kicks off October 11th at home when the Adirondack Thunder visit the Cross Insurance Arena for a 7:15 PM faceoff. Full and half season plans along with 12-game mini-plans and group tickets are on sale now by calling 833-GO-MAINE or visiting the Mariners front office at 94 Free St. in Portland. Single game tickets will go on sale September. Read the full article

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KEELEY: DWYER TSCHANTZ RE-SIGNS WITH MARINERS

Mariners “Most Improved Player” returns for 2019-20 BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners  PORTLAND, ME – June 24, 2019 – The Mariners have re-signed forward Dwyer Tschantz to a standard player contract for the 2019-20 season, the team announced on Monday. The 6’6 forward had a strong finish to his rookie campaign in 2018-19, scoring seven of his nine goals from mid-February through the end of the season. A native of Wilmington, DE, Tschantz was a 2014 NHL draft pick of the St. Louis Blues (Round 7, #202 overall). In his final season of junior hockey with the USHL’s Indiana Ice (2013-14), Tschantz helped his team capture a Clark Cup Championship, as he posted 44 points (24 goals, 20 assists) in 52 regular season games. He went on to play collegiately at Cornell University, before signing with the Worcester Railers at the end of the 2017-18 season. In four games for Worcester, Tschantz scored one goal – the first of his professional career on April 7th, 2018 at Manchester. Tschantz has ties to the Mariners organization dating back to early days of juniors. From 2011-13, he was involved in the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers 16U and Team Comcast 18U programs. The Mariners are owned by Comcast Spectacor. During Tschantz’s time in Philadelphia, Mariners V.P. of Operations Danny Briere was playing for the Flyers and became one of Dwyer’s idols. In July of 2018, Tschantz signed with the Mariners. He would be one of four players – along with Brycen Martin, Garrett Cecere, and Ryan Ferrill to play the entire season with Maine. Tschantz got off to a slow start, scoring just two goals in his first 27 games, but caught fire in mid-February. A goal on February 15th at Norfolk sparked a three-game goal streak and seven goals in 13 games. On March 8th, 2019 against the South Carolina Stingrays, Tschantz scored twice for the first multi-goal game of his career. Tschantz totaled 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists) in his final 26 games. “It was special to be a part of the Mariners first season back in Portland from start to finish,” said Tschantz. “Our fans were awesome night after night making every home game fun to look forward to. The support from ownership, management, and staff far exceeded my expectations coming into my rookie season.” Tschantz was named the team’s “Most Improved Player” for 2018-19. He says the coaching staff was a big reason why. “Similar to the team, it took me time to find my groove in Maine but I credit the coaches for helping me find my game towards the end of the year, he said. “I am extremely happy to re-sign in Maine and build on what we started last season.” Tschantz becomes the fourth forward signed to an SPC for 2019-20, joining Terrence Wallin, Michael McNicholas, and Dillan Fox. The second season of Maine Mariners ECHL hockey kicks off October 11th at home when the Adirondack Thunder visit the Cross Insurance Arena for a 7:15 PM faceoff. Full and half season plans along with 12-game mini-plans and group tickets are on sale now by calling 833-GO-MAINE or visiting the Mariners front office at 94 Free St. in Portland. Single game tickets will go on sale on September 16th. Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARINERS WEEKLY: A MEMORABLE FIRST SEASON

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners  PORTLAND, ME – The inaugural season of Maine Mariners hockey ended fittingly with a shootout victory on Sunday afternoon as the Mariners defeated the Newfoundland Growlers in front of a crowd of over 3400 at the Cross Insurance Arena. The first season of ECHL Mariners hockey saw the team finish with a 37-32-2-1 record, placing 6th in an ultra-competitive North Division. The Mariners were the only non-playoff team in the ECHL with more wins than losses. They had a remarkable 13-2-1 extra time (overtime or shootout) record, including 7-1 in shootouts, providing more than their fair share of dramatics over a memorable inaugural campaign. The final 2018-19 edition of Mariners Weekly will take a comprehensive look back at the season that was. SLOW START While many fans will rightfully point to the season opener, and the return of pro hockey to Portland as their favorite moment of the season, a 6-3 loss to the Adirondack Thunder kicked off an 0-3-0-0 start to 2018-19. After struggles in net by both Brandon Halverson and Chris Nell, it was rookie Connor LaCouvee who rose to the surface, earning Maine’s first franchise win on Oct. 21st, when he made 32 saves to beat Newfoundland, 4-2. LaCouvee defeated Manchester three days later to pull the Mariners back to a 2-3-0-0 record, but they dropped road games to Manchester and Adirondack, finishing October just 2-5-0-0. REMEMBER NOVEMBER The Mariners got their first road win on November 7th at Reading, the first of what would be a four-game win streak to get them on track. Shawn St-Amant scored a memorable overtime goal on Nov. 9th at Worcester, skating straight off the ice after putting in the game-winner. The following night, in front of over 5,000 fans for Marvel Super Hero™ and Military Appreciation Night, Michael McNicholas’ first professional goal was the game winner, sparking what would be a terrific rookie season for the former UNH forward. Up through and past Thanksgiving, the only hiccup was a 3-0 loss in Brampton on Nov. 16th. From Nov. 2nd through Nov. 28th, the Mariners had points in 8 of 9 games, bringing their record to 9-6-0-1 heading into the final game of the month, a 4-2 loss to Worcester, which snapped a 7 game home point streak. Perhaps the biggest highlight of the month was Ty Ronning’s five-point third period on Nov. 24th against Manchester, helping the Mariners rally back from a 4-1 deficit in the third period to a 6-4 win. That same night was the Teddy Bear Toss, Riley Bourbonnais scoring the fur-flying goal. HAPPY HOLIDAYS Although they lost two of the first three games in December, the Mariners had another strong month, winning 8 of 10 between Dec. 7th and 29th. Along the way were three shootout wins (12/7 vs. ADK, 12/15 @ WOR, 12/28 vs. WOR), paving the way for the team’s knack for finding a way to win in the clutch. Brandon Halverson continued his emergence as the true #1 in between the pipes & the goal-scoring combination of Alex Kile and Morgan Adams-Moisan paced the offense. On December 14th, the Mariners acquired Greg Chase from Allen in exchange for Bourbonnais, the headliner of many transactions that would change the look of the team over the proceeding months. The Mariners entered New Year’s Eve on a six-game win streak, with an 18-11-0-1 record, and in third place in the North Division. JANUARY SWOON When the Mariners look back on their missing of the playoffs, it is their month of January that they’ll see did them in. Manchester ended their win streak on New Year’s Eve and sent them into a spiral in which they’d drop 13 of 17 games overall. They did get a win over Brampton on “Throwback Night,” while wearing original Mariners uniforms in front of over 4700 in attendance on January 5th, but wins were hard to come by for the rest of the month.  Leading scorer Alex Kile was loaned to AHL Laval where he’d stay for the rest of the season. Terrence Wallin, Morgan Adams-Moisan, Ryan Culkin, Zach Tolkinen, and others were all shuttling back and forth throughout the month. Dillan Fox, an SPHL pickup from Roanoke, would eventually fill a lot of the holes left behind on offense, but he didn’t begin to produce until the end of the month. The slump carried into early February, when the Mariners were embarrassed on home ice during the weekend of February 8th and 9th, losing non-divisional games by 8-1 and 8-2 scores to Cincinnati and Greenville, respectively. While it felt like rock-bottom, those losses would wake the Mariners up, for one last potential push for the playoffs. ROAD WARRIORS The Mariners embarked on a road swing that would take them away from the Cross Insurance Arena for eight of nine games from late February into early March. Before leaving, they managed to get two key home wins on February 10th and 13th to rebound from the Cincinnati and Greenville debacles. The game on Feb. 13th featured yet another improbable third-period comeback – the Mariners once again rallying from 4-1 down to cap the comeback on Brycen Martin’s overtime winner. The road trip began with four consecutive wins: a sweep at Norfolk and victories in Reading and Adirondack. Two more OT heroic moments included: Michael McNicholas and Terrence Wallin (against his former team). Manchester once again played streak stopper on Feb. 23rd, but another seven-game point streak followed, including taking 5 of 6 possible points on the road in Utah. A shootout win over the Grizzlies on March 1st marked the team’s 10th consecutive win in OT or shootout games. After home wins over Norfolk and South Carolina marked their return to Portland, Maine was solidly back in third place, with 12 games to go. Connor LaCouvee had taken back the #1 spot on the goaltending depth chart with Halverson in AHL Hartford to stay. LaCouvee had signed a two-way AHL/ECHL deal with the Laval Rocket, who’d later call on him again. FIGHTING TO THE FINISH There was no doubting this team’s magic when Wade Murphy ended an 18-round shootout against Newfoundland on March 17th with his 2nd goal of the marathon mini-game. Another OT triumph followed on Mar. 22nd in Worcester thanks to Greg Chase. That would turn out to be the team’s high point, both statistically, and emotionally. The Mariners were a season-high nine games above .500, but still only three points up on a playoff spot thanks to the success of Brampton and Manchester around them. The Monarchs got a 6-2 statement win at the Cross Insurance Arena on Mar. 24th, the first of five consecutive Mariners losses at an unfortunate time. Between a goal-scoring slump and some struggling defense and goaltending, the Mariners lost a pair to Adirondack and Reading each, finding themselves on the outside of the playoff picture and without control of their own destiny heading into the final weekend of the season. They managed to win two of the last three, but it was Brampton that joined Newfoundland, Adirondack, and Manchester in the North Division postseason. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS Oct. 13th, 2018 vs. Adirondack – The season opener. A 6-3 loss to Adirondack but an exciting and energetic game in front of 5,291 fans. Jason Salvaggio scored the first goal in franchise history, on the power play. Oct. 21st, 2018 vs. Newfoundland – The Mariners got their first win in franchise history, coming from behind in the 3rd, which would turn out to be a common theme for the team. Alex Kile had a pair of goals while Connor LaCouvee, making his first pro start, stopped 34 shots for a 4-2 win. Nov. 10th, 2018 vs. Worcester – The Mariners wore Captain America jerseys for Marvel Super Hero™ Night. In what would be the 2nd largest crowd of the season at 5003, Michael McNicholas’ tie-breaking goal in the 3rd was the eventual game-winner in a 3-1 final. Nov. 24th, 2018 vs. Manchester – Teddy Bear Toss Night, and also eventually “the Ty Ronning game.” Ronning had three goals and two assists in the third, to lead the Mariners back from a 4-1 deficit to a 6-4 win. Dec. 28th, 2018 vs. Worcester – Another specialty jersey night featuring Michael McNicholas as a hero. Wearing Nickelodeon Double Dare sweaters, McNicholas tied the game in the third and scored the shootout winner, as the Mariners prevailed over Worcester, 3-2. A crowd of 4305 witnessed. Jan. 5th, 2019 vs. Brampton – Over 4700 people, including Mariners alumni turned out for “Throwback Night.” Brandon Halverson played one of his strongest games, making 37 saves to lead the Mariners to a 3-1 victory in what was an otherwise rough month of January. Halverson would pick up the team’s first and only shutout victory 13 days later. Feb. 13th, 2019 vs. Worcester – The Mariners pull off their second three-goal third-period comeback of the season, erasing Worcester’s 4-1 lead on goals by debuting defenseman Josh Couturier, third line winger Wade Murphy, and one-goal D-man Derek Pratt. Brycen Martin scored the lone 3-on-3 home winner of the season to send the Mariners onto a long road stretch with a massive victory. Feb. 15th, 2019 @ Norfolk – Michael McNicholas scores the OT winner as the Mariners rally back from a 3-1 deficit on the road to start a five-game road trip with a win. The Mariners would win the first four games of the trip. Feb. 22nd, 2019 @ Adirondack – Yet another come from behind road victory, with Greg Chase tying the game in the third and former Thunder Terrence Wallin netting the overtime winner. The first and only win in Glens Falls of the season. Feb. 24th, 2019 vs. Worcester – Johnny McInnis ties the game in the third and then scores the go-ahead goal in the sixth round of a shootout. Josh Couturier wins it in the 7th round, assisted by a solid goaltending performance by Hannu Toivonen, who picked up several big wins in his time as a Mariner. Mar. 17th, 2019 vs. Newfoundland – With Newfoundland leading 4-2 heading to the third, Drew Melanson and Dillan Fox each score their second goals of the game to force OT. A marathon shootout ensues, with the Mariners scoring three times in “must score” situations to keep the game alive. Finally, in the 18th round, Wade Murphy, who had already scored in the shootout, buries his 2nd attempt to win the game. Mar. 22nd, 2019 @ Worcester – In his first game back from an AHL call-up, Greg Chase scores both goals in a 2-1 OT win, giving the Mariners six extra time wins against the Railers over the course of the season. Apr. 7th, 2019 vs. Newfoundland – The Mariners give their fans one more thrill, topping Newfoundland in a shootout again. Wade Murphy reprises his role as shootout hero, ending the season on a high note. CAREER YEARS Brandon Halverson, G – 30 GP, 15-13-0-1, 2.67 GAA, .924 SV%. After a rocky start, Halverson put up his best numbers as a professional as a Mariner, earning him a call up to Hartford in early February, where he’d spend the remainder of the season. When Halverson was in between the pipes, the Mariners were at their best. Greg Chase, F – 64 GP, 23 G, 28 A, 51 PTS. Chase played for three teams in 2018-19 but was by far most effective in a Mariners uniform. With 42 points in 41 games, Chase earned two separate loans to Hartford. He also was named an Alternate Captain. Chase’s previous career high in points was 37 in 43 games with Norfolk in 2015-16. Alex Kile, F – While Kile technically didn’t hit his career high in points due to AHL loans, he was on pace to shatter his totals from 2017-18. With 20 points (13 G, 7 A) in 22 games, Kile was only eight shy of his career high totals set the previous season in Cincinnati. Kile’s time in Maine was marked by his dominance in the first three months, before stints in Hartford, Utica, and Laval – where he stuck, kept him up at the AHL level for all of the 2019 portion of the season. Brycen Martin, D – 54 GP, 7 G, 21 A, 28 PTS. One of a handful of players who spend the entire season in Maine, Martin rapidly improved his production as the season went along, finding a knack for collecting assists on tip-in goals by getting shots to the net from the blue line. He led all the Mariners defenseman in points and scored the only 3-on-3 OT winner on home ice. (Feb. 13th vs. WOR) ROOKIE STANDOUTS Michael McNicholas, F – 65 GP, 13 G, 40 A, 43 PTS. McNicholas was the team’s leading scorer for much of the season, and finished as the leader in assists, ranking fourth among all ECHL rookies. He was a durable player, appearing in every game after his arrival in early November, and playing in all situations. Morgan Adams-Moisan, F – 42 GP, 15 G, 6 A, 21 PTS. Starting the season as the token tough guy, Adams-Moisan quickly emerged as one of the top goal scoring options on the Mariners roster. Between November 28th and  January 27th, he scored all 15 of his ECHL goals. He’d earn three separate call ups to AHL Laval, where he finished the season – playing a total of 16 AHL games. INAUGURAL SEASON BY THE NUMBERS 13 – The number of overtime and shootout wins the Mariners achieved this season. They went 6-2 in overtime and 7-1 in shootouts. They won 10 straight games that went past regulation between November 7th and March 1st. 22 – The total number of Mariners who also played at least one game in the AHL this season. Derek Pratt will make it 23 if he suits up for Utica before season’s end. 40 – The number of assists for Michael McNicholas in his rookie season. McNicholas led the team in helpers and finished 4th among all ECHL rookies in the category. 58 – The number of players who suited up in a Mariners uniform this season. 33 forwards, 18 defenseman, and 7 goaltenders – including Domenic Graham, who skated only as a backup and never appeared in a game. 73 – The number of games played this season by Taylor Cammarata, between Norfolk, Wichita, and Maine. Only defenseman Josh Elmes (Rapid City & Fort Wayne) played as many games as Cammarata this regular season. Read the full article

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KEELEY: (FRI) MASTER'S FIRST PRO GOAL NOT ENOUGH IN GLENS FALLS

Mariners let a two-goal lead slip away BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners                                                                                                              GLENS FALLS, NY – March 30, 2019 – The Mariners led for most of the game, but couldn’t hold onto a 2-0 lead, and fell 4-2 to the Adirondack Thunder on Saturday night at the Cool Insuring Arena. With the loss, the Mariners fell out of a playoff spot in the North Division. Just over the halfway mark of the first period, the Mariners used the power play to get on the board first. At 10:09, Brycen Martin’s shot from the left point was redirected home by Nick Master – his first professional goal and third point in as many games since joining the Mariners last Sunday. A secondary helper went to Dwyer Tschantz. After a key penalty kill, the Mariners doubled their lead at 18:46 when Zeb Knutson cleaned up a shot from Josh Couturier, making his return from injury. Ryan Ferrill also helped out in front, receiving an assist. Francois Brassard, in his first ECHL start, turned aside all 15 shots in the opening period as the Mariners led, 2-0 through 20 minutes. The 2-0 lead held up through the late stages of the 2nd period when Jon Edwardh finally beat Francois Brassard, roofing a turnaround shot on a rebound off a Desmond Bergin shot. James Henry also assisted as the Thunder cut the lead to one heading into the third. Brassard racked up 30 saves through two periods. Just 1:58 into the third period, the Thunder tied it up, scoring during a delayed penalty. James Henry, who finished the game with three assists, slid one across the goal mouth to Cullen Bradshaw on the left side who put one into an empty net. With eight minutes remaining in the third, the Mariners again paid for a turnover attempting to come out of the zone and Henry fed Mike Szmatula for a shot over Brassard’s shoulder. The Mariners got a power play with 1:43 remaining and pulled Brassard to get a 6-on-4 advantage, but lost the faceoff and Blake Thompson rolled a long-range dump into the empty net. Brassard made 43 saves in the tough-luck loss. Arthur Brey made 20 stops for the win. Brampton embarrassed Worcester 7-0 at the DCU center to jump ahead of Maine by one point for the fourth and final playoff spot in the North. The Mariners continue to hold games in hand on every team in the division, other than Worcester. The Mariners and Thunder finish their regular season series tomorrow afternoon in Portland at 3:00 PM. A screening of D2: The Mighty Ducks will immediately follow the game on the video board, free for all fans who purchase tickets to the game. Tickets can be purchased at MarinersOfMaine.com or by calling the Trusted Choice Box Office at 207-775-3458. Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARINERS WEEKLY: PHOTO FINISH COMING IN NORTH DIVISION PLAYOFF RACE

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners Mar. 25, 2019 – Sunday’s home loss to Manchester was only the Mariners’ third regulation loss since February 9th, yet it dropped Maine out of third place in the North and reduced their playoff cushion to just a single point heading into the final two weeks of the season. Realistically, the Mariners could finish as high as second place or as low as 7th, a chaotic reality that is right in line with how the North Division has unfolded all season long. The Mariners still control their own destiny, with more games remaining than any team in the division, and a relatively favorable strength of schedule. Still, it seems destined that nothing will truly be decided until the season’s final day on April 7th. The week that was Friday, Mar. 22nd – MNE: 2, WOR: 1/OT It was the second trip to the DCU Center for the Mariners in six days after a 5-3 loss the previous Saturday. Worcester defenseman Tyler Mueller put the Railers on the board early and the 1-0 score held up until nearly the midway point of the third when Greg Chase deflected in Johnny Coughlin’s shot from the left circle to even it up. Chase showed impressive hand-eye coordination when he then scored a baseball-swing OT winner at the three-minute mark of the extra session, giving the Mariners a 6-0 record in OT/SO against the Railers this season and a crucial two points. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS  Sunday, Mar. 24th – MAN: 6, MNE: 2 The Mariners fell into a 3-0 first-period hole but showed signs of life when Brycen Martin scored a power play goal late in the opening period. The power play struggled the rest of the game, however, going 1/8 and preventing the Mariners from gaining any momentum. Manchester eventually built a 6-1 lead and cruised to victory, stealing 3rd place out of Maine’s clutches. Nick Master, recently signed forward out of UMass-Lowell, had an assist in his pro debut, setting up Dillan Fox for the second Mariners goal. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS  Transactions -F Greg Chase was returned on loan from Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) -F Drew Melanson was recalled to the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) -The Mariners signed G Francois Brassard to a SPC -The Mariners signed F Nick Master to a SPC -F Morgan Adams-Moisan was recalled to the Laval Rocket (AHL) -The Mariners signed D Richie Boyd to a SPC -F Greg Chase was loaned to Hartford, F Drew Melanson reassigned to Maine Coming up (all times Eastern) Fri, Mar. 29th @ Reading Royals – 7:00 PM (AWAY) Sat, Mar. 30th @ Adirondack Thunder – 7:00 PM (AWAY) Sun, Mar. 31st vs. Adirondack Thunder – 3:00 PM (HOME) MIGHTY DUCKS NIGHT WITH POSTGAME MOVIE The Mariners have an extremely busy final two weeks with three games in three days on consecutive weekends. Friday is the final visit of the season to Reading as the Royals cling to their playoff lives. The weekend home-and-home with Adirondack will likely decide whether or not the Mariners have a chance at the #2 seed. Sunday afternoon’s game features a postgame screening of D2: The Mighty Ducks on the video board. Julie “The Cat” Gaffney, one of the main characters in the movie, is portrayed as a native of Bangor. Sunday is also Youth Hockey Night and Hospitality Industry Night. Looking ahead: Four games remain after Sunday, three at home. The Mariners host Reading on Wednesday, April 3rd and Worcester on Friday, April 5th. Boston Bruins NESN TV host and former Maine Mariners AHL broadcaster, Dale Arnold will make a pregame appearance on April 5th, with copies of his book, If These Walls Could Talk for sale. The final road game of the regular season is in Manchester on Saturday, March 6th and the regular season concludes with the Newfoundland Growlers visiting the Cross Insurance Arena on Sunday, March 7th at 3:00 PM. Standings update (top 4 make playoffs): 1. Newfoundland: 88 points, 5 games remaining (clinched playoffs) 2. Adirondack, 76 points, 6 games remaining (magic number: 11 pts) 3. Manchester, 74 points, 6 games remaining (magic number: 13 pts) 4. Maine, 73 points, 7 games remaining (magic number: 14 pts) 5. Brampton, 72 points, 7 games remaining 6. Worcester, 70 points, 6 games remaining 7. Reading, 68 points, 6 games remaining *NOTE: The first tiebreaker is ROW (regulation and overtime wins). The Mariners currently hold that tiebreaker over Worcester and Reading, but lose it to Newfoundland, Adirondack, and Manchester, and Brampton. Fun Facts -The Mariners lead all ECHL teams in wins when trailing after two periods, with 7 -The Mariners lead the ECHL in extra time wins, with 12 (6 OT, 6 SO) and OT/SO win percentage (.800) -The Mariners are 9-4-0 against Worcester this year, 6-0 in extra time, and 12 of the 13 games have been decided by 2 or fewer goals Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARINERS WIN SHOT BATTLE BUT FALL TO MANCHESTER

Early 3-0 hole proves to be too deep BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners                                                                                                   PORTLAND, ME – March 24, 2019 – The Mariners fell behind by a large margin early and couldn’t recover, falling 6-2 on home ice Sunday afternoon to the Manchester Monarchs. The loss snapped a seven-game home point streak for Maine and dropped them from 3rd to 4th place in the North Division. Manchester ambushed the Mariners in the opening frame, jumping out to a 3-0 lead. Tony Cameranesi and Pavel Jenys scored 41 seconds apart at 8:27 and 9:08. Cameranesi ripped home a power-play wrist shot from the right wing circle to open the scoring and Jenys beat Mariners' netminder Chris Nell with a stick-side shot off the rush. At 14:05, defenseman Stepan Falkovsky extended the lead to three, following his own shot after two pad saves by Nell. Late in the period with 1:20 to go, Brycen Martin beat Monarchs netminder Charles Williams with a shot from the point, helped by a Wade Murphy screen. Team assist leaders Taylor Cammarata and Michael McNicholas set it up on the power play. First-period shots totaled 16-9 for Manchester, which led 3-1 through 20 minutes. The Mariners let two power-play chances slip away in the first half of the second period and shortly after the second one ended, Drake Rymsha extended the Monarchs lead to 4-1, putting a rebound between Nell’s pads. The Mariners pelted Williams with sixteen shots in the frame but were stuck on one goal. The Mariners were given another power play chance early in the third and again fell victim to a Monarchs goal soon after it ended. Jack Nevins, fresh out of the penalty box, slid his own rebound around Nell’s pad to make it 5-1 at 3:36. Jenys added his second goal of the game at 10:43 to put the goal well out of reach. Dillan Fox scored on a nice set up from rookie Nick Master, who was playing in his first professional game, at 11:13 to bring the Mariners back to within four. Williams was exceptional in the third, making 15 saves, and 39 in total to earn the win. Nell stopped 27/33 in the loss. Manchester leapfrogs the Mariners into third place with the win and is just two points behind Adirondack for second place. The Mariners remain in a playoff spot, but now by just one point over Brampton. They hold a game in hand on Manchester. Next weekend features three games in three days – at Reading on Friday, at Adirondack on Saturday, and home against the Thunder Sunday afternoon at 3:00 PM. A screening of D2: The Mighty Ducks will immediately follow the game on the video board, free for all fans who purchase tickets to the game. Tickets can be purchased at MarinersOfMaine.com or by calling the Trusted Choice Box Office at 207-775-3458. Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARINERS SIGN UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE DEFENSEMAN BOYD

Mariners add depth to the blue line BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners       PORTLAND, ME – March 23, 2019 – The Maine Mariners added to their blue line on Saturday, signing defenseman Richie Boyd to an SPC (standard player contract), out of the University of New Hampshire. A 6’3, 209-pound D-man from Fort Myers, FL, Boyd brings a sizeable and gritty presence to the Mariners blue line. Boyd ranked third on the Wildcats in shot blocks (33), this past season – his senior year. He also led the team with a +4 rating. With one goal and seven assists in 34 games, this past season was Boyd’s offensive year of his four. He received the team’s “Most Improved Player” award in 2017-18. Prior to UNH, Boyd played at Cushing Academy (Ashburnham, MA), where he was more of a point-producing defenseman. Boyd registered 40 points in 32 games in 2013-14 – ten goals and 20 assists. He was a First Team All-New England selection. In addition to Boyd, the Mariners defense currently consists of Zach Tolkinen, Blake Kessel, Brycen Martin, Derek Pratt, Garrett Cecere, Johnny Coughlin, Jon Jutzi, and Josh Couturier, but Couturier and Jutzi have each been out with injuries since March 9th. The Mariners have a pair of sets of three games in three days over the next two weekends. The Mariners are off tonight, hosting Manchester tomorrow afternoon at the Cross Insurance Arena for Country Night presented by 99.9 The Wolf. The first 500 fans will get a bandanna and concert giveaways will be held during the game including Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, and Old Dominion. Tickets can be purchased at MarinersOfMaine.com or by calling the Trusted Choice Box Office at 207-775-3458. Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARINERS WEEKLY: EPIC SHOOTOUT HIGHLIGHTS WEEKEND SPLIT

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners Mar. 18, 2019 – After dropping a tough game in Worcester on Saturday night, the Mariners returned home for a St. Patrick’s Day afternoon affair that they simply needed to win to keep a hold of third place. With Worcester and Manchester breathing down their collective necks and facing off head-to-head at the DCU Center, the Mariners were down two goals entering the third. But as they’ve proven many times before, you can’t count the Mariners out of any game. Even behind multiple times in a marathon shootout. Sunday’s game became an instant classic and dramatically set the stage for the final nine games of the regular season. The week that was Saturday, Mar. 16th – MNE: 3, WOR: 5 Putting their six-game head-to-head win streak vs. Worcester on the line, the Mariners took a 1-0 lead early when Dwyer Tschantz tipped home a loose puck on the doorstep. A 1-1 game in the 2nd, the action opened up with teams furiously trading goals. Worcester took 2-1 and 3-2 leads, each quickly answered by Dillan Fox and Michael McNicholas respectively. Dylan Willick gave Worcester another one-goal lead and that one stood up. Barry Almeida added an empty netter in the game’s final minute. Worcester leapfrogged Manchester into a virtual tie with the Mariners – at 69 points each. FULL GAME RECAP  Sunday, Mar. 17th – NFL: 4, MNE: 5/SO The puck was taking strange bounces in the opening period, as evident by the first two goals – one from Newfoundland’s Brady Ferguson and the answer by Maine’s Drew Melanson. Ferguson would add another goal plus an assist in the period as the Growlers jumped to a 3-1 lead. Dillan Fox briefly made it a one-goal game midway through the 2nd but then committed a turnover allowing Josh Kestner to restore the two-goal lead. Melanson and Fox each scored again within a minute of one another near the middle of the third to force OT. In an 18-round shootout that had to be seen to believed, Wade Murphy scored twice to secure the win. FULL GAME RECAP, HIGHLIGHTS, and the FULL SHOOTOUT  Transactions -F Morgan Adams-Moisan was reassigned from AHL Laval to Maine -The Mariners signed D Johnny Coughlin to an SPC -F Chris Ordoobadi was released Coming up (all times Eastern) Fri, Mar. 22nd @ Worcester Railers – 7:05 PM (AWAY) Sun, Mar. 24th vs. Manchester Monarchs – 3:00 PM (HOME) – COUNTRY NIGHT PRESENTED BY 99.9 THE WOLF Friday will be the Mariners’ final trip to Worcester in the regular season. They are 3-3-0 at the DCU Center. The Railers are currently two points behind Maine for third place and one behind Manchester (who hosts Newfoundland on Wednesday) for fourth. The Monarchs visit Portland for their seventh and final time on Sunday afternoon. As part of Country Night, the first 500 fans through the door will receive a bandanna. 99.9 The Wolf will also be giving away concert tickets to summer shows including Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, and Old Dominion. Looking ahead: Next week, the Mariners embark on their last overnight road trip of the regular season, visiting Reading and Adirondack on March 29th and 30th. As they finish a busy 3-in-3 on the 31st against the Thunder at home, the Mariners will screen D2: The Mighty Ducks on the video board after the game. There are four games in the regular season-ending month of April, three at the Cross Insurance Arena. The full promotional schedule can be found HERE. Standings update (top 4 make playoffs): 1. Newfoundland: 84 points, 8 games remaining (magic number: 4 pts) 2. Adirondack, 76 points, 8 games remaining (magic number: 12 pts) 3. Maine, 71 points, 9 games remaining (magic number: 17 pts) 4. Manchester, 70 points, 9 games remaining (magic number: 18 pts) 5. Worcester, 69 points, 9 games remaining 6. Brampton, 66 points, 10 games remaining 7. Reading, 63 points, 8 games remaining *NOTE: The first tiebreaker is ROW (regulation and overtime wins). The Mariners currently hold that tiebreaker over Brampton, Worcester, and Reading, but lose it to Newfoundland, Adirondack, and Manchester. Fun Facts -The Mariners lead all ECHL teams in wins when trailing after two periods, with 6 -After the 18 round shootout, the Mariners now lead the league in shootout attempts, with 41, and goals, with 15 -The Mariners have the league’s best shootout win percentage, with a 6-1 record (.786) (only Rapid City has more SO wins, with 7) -Defenseman Brycen Martin became the first player in franchise history to record a three-assist game on Sunday Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARINERS TOP GROWLERS IN EPIC EIGHTEEN ROUND SHOOTOUT

Wade Murphy scores twice in a marathon shootout BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners  PORTLAND, ME – March 17, 2019 – The Mariners and Newfoundland Growlers dueled through a seemingly endless shootout on Sunday afternoon that hockey fans in Portland will be talking about for a long time. In the eighteenth round, Wade Murphy scored his second goal of the shootout to give the Mariners a 5-4 come from behind win, earning them two crucial points in the North Division playoff race. Drew Melanson and Dillan Fox each scored twice in regulation as the Mariners erased a two-goal deficit in the third period. Michael McNicholas was called for slashing just 15 seconds into the game and the Growlers immediately capitalized, Brady Ferguson threw a pass off a Mariners defenseman and behind Chris Nell for a 1-0 Newfoundland lead just 22 seconds into the game. The Mariners tied it at the six-minute mark when Drew Melanson deflected a Derek Pratt shot and then swatted the rebound out of the air past Eamon McAdam. At 13:15, Newfoundland went back again as Tyler Mayea beat Nell through heavy traffic for the first goal of his pro career. Two minutes later, Ferguson netted his 2nd goal of the period, blasting home a one-timer off a drop pass from Garrett Johnston. Ferguson finished the period with three points as the Growlers took a 3-1 lead into the locker room. After a slow start to the 2nd period, Dillan Fox was set up by Taylor Cammarata at 9:22, just after the end of a Maine power play. Fox gave the goal back, however as he turned a puck over to Josh Kestner two minutes later and Kestner finished his own rebound after hitting the crossbar. The Mariners trailed 4-2 at the end of 40 minutes. Maine finally capitalized on the power play at 9:29 of the third when Melanson found a loose puck around McAdam and dished it over the sprawling Growlers goalie. Less than a minute later, Brycen Martin was able to get a shot from the blue line all the way through to McAdam, who kicked a rebound right to Fox for his second goal of the game and a 4-4 tie. The game advanced through regulation and OT before a remarkable shootout commenced. Ferguson was the first shooter and scored to give the Growlers the advantage. Taylor Cammarata evened it up in the 2nd round with a backhand move. The goaltenders reigned supreme until the 7th round when J.J. Piccinich and Brycen Martin traded goals to keep the shootout alive. Derien Plouffe opened the eighth round with a goal but Dwyer Tschantz deked McAdam to tie it once again. In the 10th round, Todd Skiriving put the Growlers up for the fourth time, forcing Wade Murphy to score, which he did. Evan Neugold appeared to deke Nell in the 11th round but after conferring, the officials ruled Nell got a piece of the puck first. The next six rounds were scoreless and in round 18 Nell stopped Piccinich, setting the stage for Murphy to play hero. McAdam attempted a poke check, but Murphy’s wrister beat him, sending the Cross Insurance Arena into a frenzy. Each of Ferguson, McNicholas, Piccinich, and Murphy had two attempts in the marathon shootout. Nell earned the win, with 33 saves through four periods and 14/18 in the shootout. McAdam stopped 36/40 and 13/18. The Mariners held on to third place in the North Division, by one point over Manchester, two on Worcester, and now five over 6th place Brampton. The Mariners will visit Worcester again on Friday at 7:05 before playing another home Sunday against Manchester at 3:00 PM on March 24th. It’s country night presented by 99.9 The Wolf. The first 500 fans will get a bandanna and concert giveaways Tickets to can be purchased at MarinersOfMaine.com or by calling the Trusted Choice Box Office at 207-775-3458. Read the full article

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KEELEY: (SAT) MARINERS DROP BACK AND FORTH AFFAIR IN WORCESTER

Crazy 2nd period dooms Mariners on the road BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners  WORCESTER, MA – March 16, 2019 – A five-goal second period tilted the game in the Railers’ favor and they rode the momentum to an eventual 5-3 win over the Maine Mariners on Saturday night at the DCU Center. The resulted created even more of a logjam for the final two spots in the North Division playoff race. The Mariners took the lead 3:44 into the game when Dwyer Tschantz, sitting on the doorstep of the crease, tapped home a Michael McNicholas rebound, also set up by Brycen Martin in his return from injury. Worcester tied it quickly off a 3-on-2 rush when Tyler Barnes beat Chris Nell for his 50th point of the season. Nell was strong for the rest of the period, stopping 12 of 13 as the game was 1-1 through 20 minutes. The 2nd period saw a total of five goals in a back-and-forth stanza. Barnes scored his 2nd of the night at 2:16, deflecting a David Quenneville shot through heavy traffic. Off the ensuing faceoff, the Mariners came back to tie it behind a perfect shot from Dillan Fox. The 2-2 tie didn’t last long either as Ryan Hitchcock beat Chris Nell with an awkward angle shot on the power play at 3:59. The Mariners once again tied it up at 9:36 when Taylor Cammarata fed Michael McNicholas, set up on a long dump from Morgan Adams-Moisan. It was McNicholas’ first goal in 11 games. Less than a minute later, Dylan Willick was the late man on another odd-man rush and took a Matt Schmalz feed to beat Nell and make it 4-3 Worcester. That was the score through two periods. The Railers allowed only six Mariners shots in the third and sealed the game on an empty net goal from Barry Almeida at 19:28. Nell stopped 38 of 44 in the loss while Mitch Gillam made 24 saves to earn his fifth consecutive win. The Mariners and Railers are now tied for third in the North Division, one point ahead of Manchester and three up on Brampton. The Mariners are back home tomorrow afternoon when they host the Newfoundland Growlers at 3:00 PM for Beacon’s Birthday Bash presented by Evergreen Credit Union. Members of the Mariners Kids Club can also skate with the team after the game. Only six home games remain in the regular season. Tickets to can be purchased at MarinersOfMaine.com or by calling the Trusted Choice Box Office at 207-775-3458. Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARINERS SIGN 6’4 FORWARD CHRIS ORDOOBADI

The sizeable rookie out of Neumann University joins Maine  BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME – March 5, 2019 – The Mariners added size up front on Tuesday, signing 6’4, 220-pound forward Chris Ordoobadi to an SPC (standard player contract). The 24-year-old Ordoobadi just finished up his college career at Neumann University (Aston, PA). Ordoobadi is a native of Washington, D.C. and played his last season of junior hockey in Canada with the NOJHL’s Elliot Lake Wildcats and Blind River Beavers. He played one year at Lawrence University (Appleton, WI), before transferring to Neumann before the 2016-17 season. In 43 games with the Knights, he totaled 10 goals and 8 assists. This season he registered 10 points in 17 games. Ordoobadi provides size to a relatively small Mariners roster which recently lost forward Morgan Adams-Moisan to recall as well as forward Louie Rowe and defenseman Brycen Martin to injuries. Ordoobadi will wear #11 for the Mariners. The Mariners begin a three-game homestand on Wednesday, hosting the Norfolk Admirals at 7:00 PM in a “sensory reduced game” as part of Autism Awareness Night. The South Carolina Stingrays then come to town on Friday (7:15 PM) for Stanley Cup Night and Saturday (6:00 PM) for Wild Blueberries Night presented by Northeast Charter and Tour Co. Tickets can be purchased at MarinersOfMaine.com or by calling the Trusted Choice Box Office at 207-775-3458. Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARINERS WEEKLY: SUDDENLY HOT MARINER APPROACH BUSY WEEKEND

  BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners Feb. 18, 2019 – After losing a pair of blowout games on back-to-back nights at home on February 8th and 9th, the Mariners were reeling. They had dropped 12 of 16 games in the 2019 calendar year and were in danger of falling out of the playoff conversation. A much needed Sunday afternoon win and a galvanizing comeback on Wednesday salvaged the homestand and the momentum has carried onto the road, where after a sweep in Norfolk started the trip off right, the Mariners are right back within three points of a playoff spot and feeling good about their game with 20 to go. The week that was Wednesday, Feb. 13th – WOR: 4, MNE: 5/OT Returning to divisional play briefly, the Mariners and Railers combined for 33 first period shots, with each team scoring once – Jason Salvaggio for Maine and Barry Almeida for Worcester. The Railers got a pair in the 2nd and another early in the 3rd, to put Maine in a 4-1 hole. Making his team debut, defenseman Josh Couturier got the comeback started with a wrist shot off a 3-on-1 rush at the 7:33 mark of the third. Wade Murphy followed with his first goal in a month and then Derek Pratt finished the trio of unlikely heroes, tying the game with a prayer from below the goal line at 18:00 of the 3rd. With the team’s only shot of OT, Brycen Martin completed the comeback and won the game for the Mariners with a short-side snipe. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Friday, Feb. 15th – MNE: 4, NOR: 3/OT Making their first ever trip to Norfolk, the Mariners fell down 2-0 and then 3-1, but closed back to within one twice on goals by Michael McNicholas (PPG) and Dwyer Tschantz. Greg Chase, returning to his former home arena (Chase was a member of the Admirals in 2015-16), scored the tying goal early in the 3rd, setting the stage for Maine’s second consecutive overtime victory. McNicholas played hero this time, scoring exactly halfway through the 3-on-3 frame, giving the Mariners seven consecutive OT or SO wins, and snapping a four-game road losing streak. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Saturday, Feb. 16th – MNE: 4, NOR: 2 The Mariners allowed the first goal of the game once again but took the lead on goals by Terrence Wallin (1st period) and Dwyer Tschantz (2nd). After the Admirals got even late in the second period, Chase struck again, scoring for his fifth point of the weekend before the frame came to an end. Dillan Fox added insurance in the 3rd and Hannu Toivonen did the rest, making 30 saves for the win in his first start since January 12th. Jason Salvaggio and Brycen Martin each dropped the gloves in the win. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS  Transactions -The Mariners acquired D Josh Couturier from Wheeling for future considerations -F Ty Ronning was recalled to AHL Hartford -F Drew Melanson (recalled) and D Derek Pratt (loaned) moved up to AHL Hartford -The Mariners acquired D Blake Kessel from Jacksonville for future considerations Coming up (all times Eastern) Weds, Feb. 20th @ Reading Royals – 7:00 PM (AWAY) Fri, Feb. 22nd @ Adirondack Thunder – 7:00 PM (AWAY) Sat, Feb 23rd @ Manchester Monarchs – 6:00 PM (AWAY) Sun, Feb. 24th vs. Worcester Railers – 3:00 PM (HOME) With four key divisional games coming up, the Mariners are currently in 6th place in the North Division, sitting with the same point total as Reading, one behind Worcester, three behind Manchester, and only four back of Brampton. Maine holds a game in hand on the Railers and two on the Monarchs. An extended win streak could also put them in striking distance of the second place Thunder. Sunday’s brief home return will feature a postgame autograph session with the entire team in the concourse. After the 24th, the Mariners are back on the road until March 6th. Looking ahead: March will feature six home games and several exciting promotional nights. March 6th is a sensory reduced game and also “Autism Awareness” night. More information on that game is here. On March 8th, the Stanley Cup® is in the building, and on March 9th, it’s Wild Blueberries Night presented by Northeast Charter & Tour, Co. A full promotional schedule is here. Fun Facts/Notes: -In the month of February (8 games), Greg Chase has six goals and six assists -The Mariners are 7-0-0-1 in games decided by either OT or a SO, winning their last seven -Last Wednesday’s three-goal third period comeback was the second of this season at the Cross Insurance Arena (Nov. 24 vs. Manchester). There was also less than 13 minutes remaining in the third when they engineered that comeback. -The Mariners current four game win streak is tied for their 2nd longest this season (Nov. 7-14). They won five in a row from Dec. 14-29. Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARTIN COMPLETES MIRACULOUS MARINERS COMEBACK

Mariners rally from 4-1 deficit in the third to beat Railers in OT BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME – February 13, 2019 – On the day that Ty Ronning was recalled back to the AHL, the Mariners re-enacted a scene from his ECHL debut. Down 4-1 on home ice to the Worcester Railers with less than 13 minutes remaining in regulation, they stormed back to force OT and Brycen Martin played hero, scoring the game-winner on the team’s only shot of the extra session. The Mariners grabbed a 1-0 lead at 7:25 of the first period, when Jason Salvaggio and Johnny McInnis caused a turnover in the slot and Salvaggio, powered a shot through Railers goaltender Mitch Gillum. The Railers answered quickly when Barry Almeida capitalized on a Connor LaCouvee turnover behind the Mariners goal and stuffed in a wraparound to tie the game at 8:07. The offense was free-flowing throughout the first, with a combined 33 shots, 18-15 in favor of the Railers. Worcester got the only two goals of the middle frame – a Ryan Hitchcock one-timer in the slot at 1:15 and a Dylan Willick deflection at the 15:00 mark. The Mariners killed a 5-on-3 in the period but had trouble generating any momentum, getting outshot 14-7. Just 1:03 into the third, Worcester capitalized on an instant power play and took a 4-1 lead as Tyler Barnes got alone to Connor LaCouvee’s left and beat him up top, scoring a goal for his eighth consecutive game. Looking dead in the water, the Mariners broke out with a 3-on-1 rush and defenseman Josh Couturier, making his Maine debut, beat Gillum with a wrist shot to cut into the deficit at 7:33. Wade Murphy brought the Mariners back to within one when his backhand at 12:17 finished off a relentless shift in the offensive zone. On the very next rush, Michael McNicholas narrowly missed tapping home Dillan Fox’s cross-ice feed that would have tied the game. With two minutes remaining, Derek Pratt’s threw a puck from below the goal line that caromed perfectly off Gillum’s skate and in to make it 4-4. The Railers controlled possession for roughly the first 90 seconds of overtime, but Brycen Martin marched down the left wing at 2:57 of the extra frame and beat Gillum short-side high for his sixth of the season and the game-winner. Jason Salvaggio finished the game with a goal and three assists. Terrence Wallin and Johnny McInnis each had two helpers. Connor LaCouvee made 43 saves on 47 shots to earn his 6th win. The Mariners gained ground on all six other teams in the North with Reading and Manchester falling, and Newfoundland, Adirondack, and Brampton all idle. They’ve won back-to-back games for the first time in 2019 and five in a row against Worcester. The Mariners will head on the road for five games starting Friday night against the Norfolk Admirals in Norfolk, VA at 7:00 PM. The next home game is Sunday, February 24th at 3:00 PM, when Worcester comes to town again. A full team autograph session will follow the game. Single game tickets can be purchased at MarinersofMaine.com or by visiting or calling the Trusted Choice Box Office: 207-775-3458. Read the full article

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KEELEY: WALLIN, LACOUVEE LEAD THE WAY IN SUNDAY WIN OVER WHEELING

Wallin scores a pair, LaCouvee stops 33 of 34 in a much-needed win BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME – February 10, 2019 – After back-to-back blowout losses on their home ice, the Maine Mariners were in desperate need for a victory. With an all-around effort, they delivered with a 4-1 win over the Riley Armstrong’s former team, the Wheeling Nailers on Sunday afternoon at the Cross Insurance Arena. Terrence Wallin led the offense with a pair of goals when Connor LaCouvee rebounded from two poor performances with 33 saves on 34 shots. Neither team scored in the first, but the Mariners put 16 shots on Wheeling’s Jordan Ruby and allowed only seven against LaCouvee. Early in the second, the Mariners were awarded a 5-on-3 when Troy Josephs was called for slashing in the first minute while the Mariners worked on the power play. Armstrong called timeout and Wallin touched home a puck that trickled into the goal crease to give Maine a 1-0 lead. Drew Melanson and Michael McNicholas assisted. At 5:14, Greg Chase doubled the Maine lead when he flew down the right wing and backhanded a shot past Ruby – Chase’s fourth goal in the last five games. Brycen Martin and Johnny McInnis got the helpers and Maine took a 2-0 lead into the locker room with the help of some timely late saves by LaCouvee. In the third, Wheeling used its power play to break through at 11:11 when Michael Phillips one-timed a Troy Josephs pass from the below the goal line past LaCouvee and make it 2-1. Wallin added insurance at 17:10 when he drove down the right wing and forced a puck off Ruby and in. Twenty-nine seconds later, Melanson hit an empty netter to seal the win, taking a pass from Morgan Adams-Moisan, who was making his return to the lineup following a three-game suspension. LaCouvee’s win was his fifth, while Ruby fell to 5-3-1-1, making 30 stops. The Mariners gained ground on everyone in the division other than first place Newfoundland. The Mariners homestand wraps up on Wednesday night when they return to divisional play and host the Worcester Railers at 7:00 PM. General admission tickets can be purchased at MarinersofMaine.com or by visiting or calling the Trusted Choice Box Office: 207-775-3458. Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARINERS WEEKLY: NEW OPPONENTS VISIT MAINE IN BUSY HOME WEEKEND

  BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners  Feb. 5, 2019 – The Mariners got a feel-good win on Saturday night when they defeated the Adirondack Thunder, 5-3. The victory snapped a five-game skid and also served as a breakout game for the offense, which had scored more than two goals only once in their previous seven games. Four Mariners enjoyed multi-point games, and it was a much-needed confidence boost heading into a three-game home weekend filled with unfamiliar foes. The week that was Wednesday, Jan. 30th – MNE: 1, REA: 3 Visiting Reading for the first time since early November, the Mariners played the Royals to a scoreless tie through one period. Reading jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second on goals by Frank Hora and Chris McCarthy. John Furgele split the deficit, but his goal would be the only one the Mariners would muster as an empty netter gave the Royals a two-goal win. FULL GAME RECAP Friday, Feb. 1st – MNE: 2, MAN: 3 The Mariners registered 17 first period shots but got only one goal to show for it – Greg Chase skated in alone coming out of the penalty box and beat Monarchs goaltender Charles Williams. Before they could take a lead into the locker room, the Mariners surrendered a late power play goal. They lost momentum and fell down 3-1 in the second, but got back to within a goal in the third when Michael McNicholas broke a 13-game scoreless string. Despite a season-high 43 shots in total, the tying goal never came, as the Mariners took a pair of late penalties. Morgan Adams-Moisan was suspended for three games for head contact on Manchester’s Michael Doherty. FULL GAME RECAP Saturday, Feb. 2nd – ADK: 3, MNE: 5 In a classic back and forth contest, the Mariners had leads of 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, and 4-3, thanks to goals by Drew Melanson, Brycen Martin, Dillan Fox (PPG), and Greg Chase. Finally, with 2:02 left, McNicholas created the game’s first two-goal margin with an insurance tally, set up nicely by Martin. McNicholas and Martin each finished with three points, while Chase and Fox had a goal plus an assist each. Mike Szmatula scored a pair for the Thunder, who saw a three-game win streak come to an end. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Transactions -D Zach Tolkinen was loaned to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack -The Mariners acquired D Sean Campbell from Reading and F Johnny McInnis from Rapid City -D Ryan Culkin was recalled to AHL’s Laval Rocket Coming up (all times Eastern) Fri, Feb. 8th vs. Cincinnati Cyclones – 7:15 PM (HOME) Sat, Feb. 9th vs. Greenville Swamp Rabbits – 6:00 PM (HOME) Sun, Feb. 10th vs. Wheeling Nailers – 3:00 PM (HOME) It’s a three-game home weekend as the Mariners continue their five-game homestand. The Western Conference-leading Cincinnati Cyclones kick off the weekend on Friday, which is “Honor Flight Maine Night” presented by News Center Maine. On Saturday, the Mariners celebrate EqualityMaine Pride night and You Can Play/Hockey is for Everyone, as they host the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. The first 2,000 fans will receive a pride T-shirt. On Sunday, the Wheeling Nailers, with whom Riley Armstrong coached for two seasons, make their first trip to Maine. Following the game, fans can skate with the team, presented by Redbank Village. The Mariners are calling it, “#3kend.” Fans who check in to all three games at the promotions port will be eligible to win a Mariners Prize Pack. Fun Facts/Notes: -The Mariners are now 10-4-0-0 on Saturdays -Friday’s game is the first in Mariners franchise history against a Western Conference opponent -Brandon Halverson is 3rd in the ECHL in minutes (1750) and saves (950) Read the full article

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KEELEY: (SUN) MARINERS DROP THIRD STRAIGHT WITH 4-2 LOSS TO THUNDER

Quick strikes in the second period put Mariners in too deep of a hole BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME – January 27, 2019 – Cullen Bradshaw and Desmond Bergin scored 25 seconds apart in the 2nd period to put the Thunder ahead 3-1 and they never looked back on Wednesday afternoon at the Cross Insurance Arena. It was the Mariners’ third loss in a row, their first three-game losing streak since October 26th-November 2nd. The Mariners got off to a 1-0 lead at 7:34 of the opening period when Morgan Adams-Moisan tipped home Brycen Martin’s shot from the right point. Michael McNicholas also assisted. Adirondack used the power play to get even at 17:28 when defenseman Desmond Bergin beat Ed Minney with a wrist shot from the left-wing circle. Cullen Bradshaw broke the tie at 13:56 of the 2nd with another power play goal when he banked a puck off Minney from below the goal line and Bergin roofed another one on the ensuing shift to quickly make it 3-1. The Mariners surrendered five power play goals in two games this weekend. A helmet violation penalty on Adirondack’s Matias Cleland gave Maine a 5-on-3 to start the third. After failing with the two-man advantage, the Mariners were given another power play at 10:49 but allowed a shorthanded goal when Connor Riley broke in along and beat Minney. In total, the Mariners went 0 for 6 on the power play. With the goaltender pulled, Drew Melanson grabbed a rebound off the pad of Alex Sakellaropoulos with 2:07 to go to cut into the deficit. Sakellaropoulos faced 23 third period shots, stopping all but Melanson’s, which was too little too late for the Mariners. Sakellaropoulos got his 13th win with 37 stops in the game, Minney stopped 26 of 30 for the loss – the first decision of his Mariners career. Adirondack snapped a three-game losing streak of their own with the win. The Mariners play on the road Wednesday in Reading and Friday in Manchester before returning home for another meeting with the Thunder on Saturday, February 2nd. It’s “Women in Sports Night presented by the Maine Sports Commission. The first 2,000 fans through the gate will also receive a Grocery Tote Bag, presented by Townsquare Media. Game time is 6:00 PM. Tickets can be purchased at MarinersofMaine.com or by visiting or calling the Trusted Choice Box Office: 207-775-3458. Read the full article