#JasonSalvaggio

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KEELEY: MARINERS BRING BACK CAMMARATA

Late season acquisition led Mariners in points BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners  PORTLAND, ME – July 12, 2019 – Taylor Cammarata played for three different ECHL teams in 2018-19, but ultimately found a home in Maine. On Friday, the Mariners announced the re-signing of their inaugural season’s leading scorer. A second-year pro from Plymouth, MN, Cammarata spent time in Norfolk, Wichita, and Maine in 2018-19. The speedy forward was traded twice – from the Admirals to the Thunder on January 25th, and then to the Mariners on February 19th, in a deal that saw Jason Salvaggio head to Wichita. In a total of 73 games between the three teams, Cammarata put up 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists) to lead all Mariners scorers. In Maine alone, Cammarata had 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 21 games. He finished the season red hot, scoring seven goals in his last five games, sparked by a hat trick against Adirondack on March 31st. He ended the year on a five-game point streak as well as a three-game goal streak. Cammarata’s professional career began in 2017-18 when he played for the South Carolina Stingrays. He finished the season with 30 points in 42 games and was an ECHL All-Star, winning MVP of the 2018 All-Star Classic. An alumnus of the University of Minnesota, Cammarata racked up the accolades in junior hockey as well, including being named “USA Hockey Player of the Year” and “USHL Player of the Year” in 2012-13, when he registered 93 points in 59 games for the Waterloo Black Hawks. He was the USHL’s Rookie of the Year the season prior. Now 24-years-old, Cammarata was chosen in the 3rd round of the 2013 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders, pick #76 overall. “I’m very excited about being back in Portland,” said Cammarata. “I really enjoyed finishing out the season there last year, getting a small taste of a great organization and community. I look forward to bringing my offensive playmaking ability to help the team this season.” 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: MARINERS WEEKLY: RILEY ARMSTRONG RETURNS TO UTAH AS MARINERS PUSH FOR PLAYOFFS

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners  Feb. 26, 2019 – In November of 2010, 26-year-old forward Riley Armstrong got his first taste of the ECHL when he joined the Utah Grizzlies. Armstrong, who had spent the previous six seasons in the AHL, played just two games in Utah before deciding to take his career to Europe. Less than a year later, he was back in Utah as captain of the Grizzlies and would go on to enjoy one of the best seasons of his professional career. Nearly a decade later, now as head coach of the Maine Mariners, Armstrong brings his red-hot first-year squad into the Maverik Center for three games this week, currently holding down the final North Division playoff position after winning seven of their last eight games. The week that was Wednesday, Feb. 20th – MNE: 6, REA: 4 After sweeping Norfolk to start their road trip, the Mariners entered the Santander Arena on equal footing with the Reading Royals, both teams seeking to move up the standings into a playoff spot. The Mariners simply had their best road start of the season, scoring the game’s first five goals. Terrence Wallin, Blake Kessel (in his Maine debut), Greg Chase, Johnny McInnis, and Dwyer Tschantz had the Mariners up big early in the 2nd period. The Royals got the next two goals but Dillan Fox seized momentum back by making it a 6-2 game and that was just about it until Reading scored twice in the final two minutes of the game: much too little too late. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Friday, Feb. 22nd – MNE: 4, ADK: 3/OT In a game with a distinct playoff atmosphere, John Furgele and Jon Edwardh traded first period goals. After the Thunder took their first lead in the middle frame, Taylor Cammarata scored his first Mariners goal to quickly respond and tie it up again. With less than seven minutes remaining in the third, Brian Ward’s goal was answered by Greg Chase’s coast-to-coast wraparound, which ultimately forced the Mariners’ third overtime game in five. The Mariners got a power play early in OT and none other than the former Thunder forward himself, Terrence Wallin played hero, deflecting home Josh Couturier’s shot from the point and giving the Mariners their sixth straight victory and fourth in four tries on the trip. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Saturday, Feb. 23rd – MNE: 2, MAN: 6 Manchester struck twice in the first 5:05 of the game, and eventually took a 3-0 lead, putting Maine in a big hole midway through the game. Dwyer Tschantz scored his fourth goal of the road trip before the 2nd ended and Charles-Eric Legare, playing his second game on an ATO would cut the deficit to one halfway through the third. A late Mariners penalty yielded an insurance goal for the Monarchs and an empty netter officially signaled the end of the win streak, marking the second time this season that Manchester ended a 6-game Maine win streak at the SNHU Arena (Dec. 31st, 2018). FULL GAME RECAP Sunday, Feb. 24th –WOR: 3, MNE: 4/OT The Mariners returned home for the first time in 11 days and found themselves behind the Worcester Railers for the second consecutive Cross Insurance Arena contest. The Mariners were down to seven forwards for a spell after Ryan Ferrill received a game misconduct, Terrence Wallin was injured, and Greg Chase was called for a ten minute misconduct. Dillan Fox quickly erased a 2-0 deficit when he scored twice in a two minute span in the 2nd. Worcester’s 3-2 lead in the third period was short-lived after Johnny McInnis scored the equalizer, setting the stage for yet another OT game. The Mariners killed a penalty in the final two minutes of the overtime and managed to come out on top in a wild seven round shootout – Josh Couturier’s goal turning out to be the game-winner. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Transactions -The Mariners acquired F Taylor Cammarata from Wichita, F Jason Salvaggio was called up to Hartford and loaned to Wichita -The Mariners claimed F Ryan Siiro off waivers from Fort Wayne and signed F Charles-Eric Legare to an ATO -F Charles-Eric Legare was released from his ATO Coming up (all times Eastern) Weds, Feb. 27th @ Utah Grizzlies – 9:05 PM (AWAY) Fri, Mar. 1st @ Utah Grizzlies – 9:05 PM (AWAY) Sat, Mar. 2nd @ Utah Grizzlies – 9:05 PM (AWAY) It’s the first Mountain Division opponent of the season for Maine, which is 4-2-0 outside the North Division. For the Grizzlies, the Mariners represent the first opponent outside of the Western Conference. Utah is currently third place in a very top-heavy Mountain Division, where their 31-17-4-2 record is behind Idaho and Tulsa. The Grizzlies recently lost three consecutive games to the ECHL bottom-feeding Allen Americans, and have dropped five straight overall. Looking ahead: Upon their return from Utah, the Mariners leave New England (Worcester, Manchester, Maine) for just one trip in the final 14 games. A three game homestand begins March 6th against the Norfolk Admirals with a sensory reduced game as part of “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. The South Carolina Stingrays are the opponent for both games. A full promotional schedule is here. Fun Facts/Notes: -The Mariners have won nine straight games that have advanced beyond regulation, with a 9-0-1 overall record in those situations -The Mariners are now 8-3-0 against the Worcester Railers this season, including six consecutive head-to-head wins -Greg Chase has eight goals and nine assists in 12 February games -The Mariners have won seven of eight games (Feb. 10th – Feb. 24th) after losing seven of eight games (Jan. 25th – Feb. 9th) Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARINERS ACQUIRE CAMMARATA FROM WICHITA

Mariners acquire Cammarata, Salvaggio called up and loaned to Wichita BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME – February 19, 2019 – The Maine Mariners announced the acquisition of forward Taylor Cammarata from the Wichita Thunder on Tuesday. In a corresponding move, Jason Salvaggio was called up to AHL Hartford and loaned to Wichita. Cammarata is a 23-year-old forward from Plymouth, MN who played four years at the University of Minnesota following a two-year USHL career. In his final year of Juniors, he led the USHL in scoring, with 93 points in 59 games for the Waterloo Black Hawks. In his first two seasons with the Golden Gophers, Cammarata put up identical 27 point campaigns, finishing second on the team with 24 assists as a Sophomore. In 2013, Cammarata was selected by the New York Islanders in the 3rd round of the NHL Draft: 76th overall. In the fall of 2017, following his graduation from Minnesota, Cammarata signed his first pro deal with the South Carolina Stingrays. In 42 games last season, he scored 12 goals, along with 19 assists in 49 games. The 5’7, 161-pound forward began this season in Norfolk and was traded to Wichita in January. Between the two teams, he has 14 goals and 20 assists in 51 games. Forward Jason Salvaggio was called up to AHL Hartford and loaned to Wichita. Salvaggio has 10 goals and 16 assists in 42 games with Maine this season, including scoring the first goal in franchise history on October 13th against the Adirondack Thunder. Salvaggio signed with the Wolf Pack last April after finishing his college career at the University of New Hampshire. The Mariners are in the midst of a five-game road trip, playing tomorrow night in Reading at 7:00 PM. They will then visit Adirondack and Manchester over the weekend. The next home game is Sunday, February 24th at 3:00 PM against the Worcester Railers. 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: 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: MARINERS WEEKLY: MARINERS SEEK WINNING HOMESTAND BEFORE HITTING ROAD

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners Feb. 11, 2019 – While Friday and Saturday turned out to be games to forget, the Maine Mariners (23-24-0-1) bounced back on Sunday with a much needed 4-1 win, bringing their homestand to 2-2-0-0 heading into its conclusion on Wednesday night against Worcester. A five-game road trip begins on Friday and signals a stretch of eight of the nine away from Portland, which will take the Mariners into the month of March, and the true home stretch of the season. Sitting on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, the Mariners could use a return to their November and December form to make a push to the postseason. The week that was Friday, Feb. 8th – CIN: 8, MNE: 1 The Western Conference-leading Cincinnati Cyclones came into the Cross Insurance Arena and showed why they possess the second best record in the ECHL, dropping a seven-spot on the Mariners in just the first period. Former Mariner Brady Vail netted a hat trick, while Pascal Aquin finished the night with five points – a goal and four assists. Of the eight goals scored, five came against Connor LaCouvee and three on Ed Minney. Greg Chase scored the only Maine goal, on the power play. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Saturday, Feb. 9th – GRN: 8, MNE: 2 While Greenville didn’t carry the same clout into Portland as Cincinnati before them, they too put on an offensive display – using the second period as their anchor, with six goals. The Swamp Rabbits built a 4-0 lead early in the 2nd before Jason Salvaggio and Dillan Fox showed signs of a potential comeback. Sloppy defensive play and another shaky performance from LaCouvee was the story the rest of the way. Hannu Toivonen made a relief appearance and allowed two of the eight. Chris Izmirlian scored four goals for Greenville, who would go on to put up 7 on Sunday in Manchester. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Sunday, Feb. 10th – WHE: 1, MNE: 4 Head Coach Riley Armstrong faced his former team for the first time after serving as an assistant in Wheeling the previous two seasons. In desperate need of a win, the Mariners started with a 16-7 shot advantage in the first and grabbed a 2-0 lead in the 2nd thanks to a 5-on-3 goal by Terrence Wallin and an even-strength tally by Greg Chase. LaCouvee stood tall and shut the Nailers down until midway through the third when Wheeling got a power play goal from Michael Phillips. Wallin scored his second goal of the day late in the third and Drew Melanson added an empty netter to seal it. LaCouvee stopped 34 of 35 shots.  FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Transactions -G BRANDON HALVERSON WAS RECALLED TO AHL HARTFORD -G CONNOR LACOUVEE SIGNED A TWO-WAY AHL CONTRACT WITH LAVAL AND WAS ASSIGNED TO MAINE -F MORGAN ADAMS-MOISAN WAS RECALLED TO AHL LAVAL Coming up (all times Eastern) Weds, Feb. 13th vs. Worcester Railers – 7:00 PM (HOME) Fri, Feb. 15th @ Norfolk Admirals – 7:00 PM (AWAY) Sat, Feb. 16th @ Norfolk Admirals – 7:00 PM (AWAY) The Mariners resume divisional play on Wednesday night with Worcester in town at 7:00 PM. Maine has won six of the first nine meetings with the Railers this season and currently trail them by two points in the North Division standings. The road trip begins in Norfolk on Friday as the Mariners meet the Admirals for a weekend series in Virginia. Norfolk currently sits sixth out of seven teams in the South Division and will visit Portland for one game on March 6th. The Mariners will swing back up through Reading, Glens Falls, and Manchester next week on their way back home. Coach’s Show: The Mariners Coach’s Show airs on Tuesday from Noon to 1:00 PM on MarinersOfMaine.com/listen via Mixlr. This week’s guests included Riley Armstrong and Connor LaCouvee. Fans who submit questions through Mixlr will be entered to win a pair of tickets to Wednesday’s game. All previous Coach’s Shows and game broadcasts are archived here: http://mixlr.com/mainemariners/showreel/. Looking ahead: On Sunday, February 24th, following the 3:00 PM game against the Worcester Railers, the entire team will be on hand to sign autographs for fans of all ages in the concourse. Fun Facts/Notes: -Greg Chase has scored a goal in four of his last five games -With his goal Sunday, Drew Melanson became the fifth Mariner this season to reach a double-figure goal total (Kile, Adams-Moisan, Chase, McNicholas). Jason Salvaggio and Ty Ronning each have nine goals -The Mariners are now 3-1-0-0 on Sundays at home, with six Sunday home dates remaining Read the full article

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KEELEY / KUHNS: (SAT) MARINERS SWAMPED BY RABBITS

Greenville continues the weekend onslaught BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME – February 9, 2019 – A six-goal second period put Saturday night’s game out of reach as the Mariners fell to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits by a final score of 8-2 on Saturday night at the Cross Insurance Arena. The game’s first goal was scored by Chris Izlmirlian, as he deflected Dylan Vander Esch’s offering past Connor LaCouvee at 6:23 of the opening period. As the Mariners went to the power play about five minutes later, Will Merchant skated away on a breakaway and deked LaCouvee to double the Swamp Rabbits lead. It marked the third game in a row with a shorthanded goal allowed by the Mariners. Izmirlian scored a pair in the first 5:15 of the 2nd to complete the hat trick and make it 4-0. It appeared the Mariners would make a comeback bid when Jason Salvaggio and Dillan Fox (PPG) scored at 5:32 and 8:11, but a sloppy defensive sequence resulted in a Michael Pelech goal to stall the Mariners momentum. Merchant got his 2nd goal with a power play tally at 12:45 and then Johno May and Izmirlian scored 58 seconds apart to blow the game wide open. The final two goals came against Hannu Toivonen, appearing in his first game since January 13th. The Mariners buckled down defensively in the 3rd, and outshot Greenville 12-0 (31-28 for the game), but didn’t get any closer than 8-2. Dillan Fox had a goal waived off in the third when he drove the net and was dragged down, the whistle apparently blowing before the puck went in the net. The Mariners finish the weekend with a Sunday matinee against the Wheeling Nailers at 3:00 PM tomorrow. The game features a postgame skate with the team, sponsored by Redbank Village. Fans must bring their own skates and those under the age of 18 will need a helmet. Any fans who attend all three games this weekend and check in at the Promotions Port are eligible to win a Mariners prize pack. General admission tickets can be purchased at MarinersofMaine.com or by visiting or calling the Trusted Choice Box Office: 207-775-3458. ______________________ BY: Jordan Kuhns, Greenville Swamp Rabbits BOXSCORE PORTLAND, Maine — The Greenville Swamp Rabbits shot nearly 30% on the night, took a lead, and never looked back. Four goals from Chris Izmirlian and a six-goal second-period outburst highlighted an offensive explosion for Greenville in an 8-2 rout over the Maine Mariners on Saturday night at Cross Insurance Arena. The eight goals scored by the Swamp Rabbits matched a season-high, scored on November 15 against the Norfolk Admirals. It was also the second consecutive night that the Mariners had given up eight goals, having done so last night against the Cincinnati Cyclones. Izmirlian had been held quiet since his return to the lineup, but his offensive output, on six shots on goal, was a career-high, and a season highlight. He started the scoring at the 6:23 mark of the first, scored two more to complete the hat trick in the second period and capped the team's scoring at the 15:42 mark of the third. The Swamp Rabbits built a 4-0 lead nearing the halfway point of the second period. Izmirlian scored his hat trick by then, opening the scoring on a pass from Dylan Vander Esch. Will Merchant scored his first of two tallies shortly thereafter on an unassisted shorthanded tally to double the lead. The second period saw the fireworks. Maine found a way to cut Greenville's lead in half with quick strikes. Their first, from Jason Salvaggio, was just 17 seconds after Izmirlian's third goal, and Dillan Fox's rebound goal came at 8:11. After that though, it was all Greenville. The captain, Michael Pelech, converted on a bad bounce in the Maine zone and found himself out in front to shorten the leash on Mariners goaltender Connor LaCouvee. Merchant provided the final dagger in his night with a power play goal from the right circle. In came former NHL goaltender Hannu Toivonen, and he was welcomed to the game with a goal against on his first shot faced. Thomas Ebbing won the faceoff back to Johno May, who wrapped the goal and scored for the first time in 12 games. Izmirlian ended his four-goal night with a tic-tac-toe passing play from Austen Brassard and Brendan Harms. While there was plenty of offensive firepower to solidify the win, the Swamp Rabbits received a quality outing from goaltender Garrett Bartus, who slammed the door shut on the road. His 29 saves, buoyed by a set of outstanding saves on the penalty kill, and a great lunging save in the final moments, kept Maine off the board and gave the Swamp Rabbits confidence to keep pressing. It was also a return to form for the Swamp Rabbits' power play, which had been held largely silent for the past month. Greenville generated goals on two of three power-play chances they had on the night. The Swamp Rabbits now have wins in two of three games before concluding the weekend set. The three-game weekend concludes in Manchester to take on the Monarchs on Sunday, February 10. Catch all of the action on the Swamp Rabbits Broadcast Network, or on ECHL.TV.

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Get Social: Follow the Swamp Rabbits and get behind-the-scenes coverage like never before on the team’s official Facebook and Twitter pages! Contact a Swamp Rabbits Account Executive at 864.674.PUCK (7825) for information on 2018–19 ticket plans, special group rates, and hospitality opportunities and secure your seats today! Get the latest Swamp Rabbits gear by visiting the “Hop Shop” online at Shop.SwampRabbits.com to browse the full collection of fan wear and novelties! Read the full article

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KEELEY: (FRI) CHASE, MCNICHOLAS HAVE MULTIPOINT NIGHTS AS MARINERS PELT SEASON HIGH 43 SHOTS

Despite 43 shots, undisciplined Mariners drop fifth straight BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners MANCHESTER, NH – February 1, 2019 – The Mariners scored the game’s first and last goals but three unanswered in the middle by the Monarchs carried Manchester to a 3-2 win on Friday night at the SNHU Arena. The Mariners have lost five games in a row and 11 of 14 overall. Greg Chase and Michel McNicholas each had a goal and an assist in the losing effort. Chase scored his 9th of the season at 15:15 of the first, stepping out of the penalty box and receiving a touch feed from McNicholas. Chase skated in alone and Charles Williams and deked him with a shot to the high blocker side for a 1-0 Mariners lead. The Mariners were shorthanded four times in the first, and Manchester capitalized on their fourth chance at 17:44 to tie the game. Travis Walsh’s blast got blocked in the slot and Cory Ward zipped the rebound past Halverson. The Mariners put 17 shots on goal in the opening frame. Early in the 2nd, Manchester took a 2-1 lead when Austin Block circled the goal and found Drake Rymsha back door at 2:48. The Monarchs went up 3-1 when Michael Doherty drove the net and tipped a Spencer Watson pass behind Halverson at 13:38. Soon after, Morgan Adams-Moisan was called for a five-minute major penalty for head contact and received a match penalty for a hit on Doherty. The Mariners were able to kill the penalty and head to the third down just two. At 6:11 of the third period, McNicholas snapped a 13 game goalless drought when Jon Jutzi and Chase set him up for a power-play goal. The Mariners made a strong push to tie the game but had their comeback effort derailed when Jason Salvaggio was called for slashing inside two minutes remaining. Chase took an additional slashing penalty to give Manchester a 5-on-3 which allowed them to run out the clock. Charles Williams made 41 saves in the win while Brandon Halverson stopped 37 of 40 on the other side. Manchester has won four of the last five head-to-head meetings. The Mariners are home on Saturday for “Women in Sports Night” presented by the Maine Sports Commission as they begin a five-game homestand. Special ticket packages that include pre-game talks from three “Women in Sports” guest speakers are available by calling Molly Brenerman at 207-761-4363. 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. 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 FALL IN READING DESPITE FURGELE'S GOAL

   Second-period offense favors Royals in Mariners loss BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners READING, PA – January 30, 2019 – A pair of Reading Royals second-period goals were enough for an eventual 3-1 win on Wednesday night at Santander Arena. John Furgele brought the Mariners within a goal in the 2nd, but they couldn’t get even and dropped their fourth straight. After a scoreless opening frame, Reading defenseman Frank Hora pitched a rebound over Brandon Halverson for a 1-0 lead at 3:59 of the 2nd. It was Hora’s first goal of the season and just the second of his professional career. During 4-on-4 at 9:31, Chris McCarthy was able to poke a loose puck past Halverson, whose own stick attempt was unsuccessful. Moments after McCarthy’s goal, Derek Pratt ripped a shot past Royals goaltender Andrew D’Agostini and off the inside of the post. The goal light flickered but it was ruled no goal. The next stoppage, at 13:21, turned out to be a Mariners goal when John Furgele took a cross-ice pass from Dillan Fox and deked to the backhand to beat D’Agostini. Jason Salvaggio added a secondary assist. Reading led 2-1 after two. The Mariners’ best scoring chance of the third came on a power play in the first half of the period. Ryan Culkin’s shot from the center point hit the goal post and then jumped the stick of Terrence Wallin, hoping to cash the rebound. Tyler Brown sealed the game with an empty netter at 19:29. Halverson stopped 28 of 30 in the loss while D’Agostini improved to 5-0-1 in his Royals career with 22 saves on 23 Mariners shots. The Mariners head back North to face Manchester on Friday in New Hampshire at 7 PM before returning home for a meeting with the Adirondack 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

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KEELEY: MARINERS WEEKLY: MARINERS HIT THE ROAD SEEKING ANSWERS

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners  Jan. 28, 2019 – The new year has been anything but kind to the Maine Mariners, who are now 3-8-0 in the month of January and have seen themselves fall out of a North Division playoff position. Coming off a winless three-in-three, they embark on a Wednesday/Friday road swing, before returning to the Cross Insurance Arena on Saturday night to begin a five-game homestand. The chaos of the North Division has kept them in contention, but as 2019’s first month wraps up, they hope to stop the bleeding this week. The week that was Friday, Jan. 25th – MAN: 2, MNE: 1 After winning a 1-0 goaltending duel the previous Friday, three combined goals were scored in the first period this time around. Manchester’s Jack Nevins and Maine’s Greg Chase swapped goals before Nic Pierog broke the tie with a controversial tally late in the period that was (correctly) ruled a goal after the referee conferred with the goal judge. Surprisingly, that was it for the offense, as 2-1 turned out to be the final score. The Mariners won the shot battle, 38-34. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Saturday, Jan. 26th – MNE: 3, MAN: 6 Sam Kurker scored late in the 1st to give Manchester the lead, but Jason Salvaggio tied it up midway through the 2nd. Kurker got a power play goal to put the Monarchs back ahead, but that was answered by Morgan-Adams Moisan. Tied at two entering the third, things unraveled quickly for the Mariners as Manchester struck twice in the first two minutes and never looked back. Spencer Watson had a third-period hat trick as the Monarchs scored a total of three power play goals in the game. FULL GAME RECAP Sunday, Jan. 27th – ADK: 4, MNE: 2 Ed Minney made his home debut between the pipes, giving Brandon Halverson a breather. Adams-Moisan put the Mariners up 1-0 in the first, but power play tallies by Desmond Bergin and Cullen Bradshaw put Adirondack in the lead. The Mariners had glorious scoring chances on both a 4-on-3 and 5-on-3, but couldn’t finish or gain any puck luck. Bergin’s second of the game and a shorthanded breakaway goal by Connor Riley sealed it. Drew Melanson scored late with the goalie pulled. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Transactions NO TRANSACTIONS LAST WEEK Coming up (all times Eastern) Weds, Jan. 30th @ Reading Royals – 7:00 PM (AWAY) Fri, Feb. 1st @ Manchester Monarchs – 7:00 PM (AWAY) Sat, Feb 2nd vs. Adirondack Thunder – 6:00 PM (HOME) The Mariners visit Reading for just the second time this season on Wednesday night. The Royals are one point up on the Mariners in the North Division and have also struggled lately, with just 3 wins in their last 10. It’s off to Manchester on Friday where the Mariners will look to avenge this past weekend’s sweep. The Mariners are 2-3 at the SNHU Arena vs. 4-1 against the Monarchs in Portland. Manchester has moved all the way up to third in the North after a 3-0-0 weekend. Friday is also the “ECHL.TV Showcase” game, airing for free via Facebook Watch on the ECHL Facebook Page. Saturday night at the Cross Insurance Arena is “Women in Sports Night,” presented by the Maine Sports Commission, with the puck dropping at 6 PM against the Adirondack Thunder. The first 2,000 fans will receive a grocery tote, presented by Townsquare Media. Fans can purchase a special ticket package that includes pre-game talks from guest speakers Kristina Sabasteanski, April Fournier, and Kirsten Beverley-Waters by calling Molly Brenerman at 207-761-4363 or emailing molly_brenerman@comcastspectacor.com. All Saturday night games feature a “Family Four Pack” deal as well. Fun Facts/Notes: -The Mariners’ three-game losing streak is their first since Oct. 26th-Nov. 2nd. It’s their first three-game point-less streak since the first three games of the season (Oct. 13th – 20th) -With his two goals this weekend, Morgan Adams-Moisan is now the sole team leader with 15, passing Alex Kile’s 13 (Kile is currently on loan to AHL Laval Rocket). All 15 of Adams-Moisan’s goals have come in a 22-game span, dating back to Nov. 28th. -After this weekend, five of the Mariners’ next six games will come against non-division opponents (Cincinnati, Greenville, Wheeling, and Norfolk X 2). The Mariners have played only one non-division game this season – a 6-3 home win over Orlando on November 14th. They have a total of 11 from now until the end of the season. Read the full article

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KEELEY: (SAT) MONARCHS BURY MARINERS WITH THIRD PERIOD BARRAGE

Watson’s hat trick sparks Monarchs to a home-and-home sweep BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners MANCHESTER, NH – January 26, 2019 – In what was a 2-2 game heading into the third period, the Manchester Monarchs exploded for four goals and an eventual 6-3 win over the Maine Mariners on Saturday night at the SNHU Arena. Six Monarchs enjoyed multi-point performances, with Spencer Watson’s hat trick leading the charge. The Mariners fell out of a North Division playoff position with the loss. It took until the final minute of the first period for the game’s first goal to be scored. Joe Sullivan fed Sam Kurker down the right wing, who got an angle on Brycen Martin and beat Brandon Halverson for the 1-0 Manchester lead through one period. At 9:38 of the 2nd, the Mariners knotted the score when Jason Salvaggio cut into the middle off the rush and fired home his 8th of the season past Charles Williams. Kurker answered with a power play rebound goal at 13:09, but the Mariners quickly struck back when Morgan Adams-Moisan deflected Zach Tolkinen’s point shot at 14:22 – Adams-Moisan’s team-leading 14th goal of the season. Halverson made a miraculous stop on Sullivan, laying out to deny a cross-slot set up from Tim Shoup. A late interference penalty against Ryan Culkin would carry over into the third. Thirty-five seconds into the third, Spencer Watson beat Halverson’s glove for the second Manchester power play goal of the night. At 1:48, Jack Nevins got the position in front of Halverson and touched home a Sullivan shot for the game’s first two-goal lead. Watson added two more, at 12:42 and 14:05 to complete the hat trick. The Mariners three power play goals allowed was a season high. Greg Chase got a Maine power play goal late to bring the final to 6-3. Williams stopped 27/30 for the win while Halverson turned aside 31 of 37. The Mariners have a 3:00 PM faceoff on Sunday afternoon against the Adirondack Thunder at the Cross Insurance Arena to complete the weekend. 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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MARINERS WEEKLY: FROM A NOR'EASTER TO A WHITE OUT

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners Jan. 21, 2019 – After many parts of Maine had over a foot of snow dumped on them by Winter Storm Harper, a different type of “white out” is coming to the Cross Insurance Arena on Friday. The ECHL signifies the beginning of the second half “post-All-Star break,” by changing jersey color schemes: home dark jerseys to home whites, and vice-versa. The Mariners, who have sported their blue uniforms at home since the beginning of the season, will begin wearing white at Friday’s game against Manchester – a 7:15 PM faceoff. Fans are encouraged to dress in white clothing, with a chance for two fans to win a pair of tickets to the Stanley Cup Visit on March 8th. Friday’s game is the first of three in three days for a Mariners team that currently sits in third place in the North. The week that was Wednesday, Jan. 16th – NFL: 2, MNE: 0 In their final game of seven in a row between Canadien foes (Brampton/Newfoundland), a goaltending duel emerged between Brandon Halverson and Growlers netminder Michael Garteig. An early power play goal by Growlers All-Star Giorgio Estephan managed to be the game-winner when an empty-netter by Brady Ferguson turned out to be the only other goal of the game. The highlight of the night, however, belonged to Halverson, who made an improbable pad save on Zach O’Brien in the third period, that made #2 on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays. FULL GAME RECAP, HIGHLIGHTS, and HALVERSON’S SPORTSCENTER APPEARANCE Friday, Jan. 18th – MAN: 0, MNE: 1 Determined to keep their run of no more than 2 straight losses alive, the Mariners battled Manchester in another low scoring game. Their scoreless streak reached five periods as for the first time, they proceeded into the third in a 0-0 game. Halverson was again fantastic, stopping 35 Monarchs shots through two periods. Midway through the third, Ryan Ferrill deflected home Jason Salvaggio’s power play one-timer for what would be the only goal of the game. Halverson stayed perfect, stopping 43 for his first shutout of the season and the first in Mariners franchise history FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Transactions -F Terrence Wallin was loaned to AHL Hartford -The Mariners acquired D Jon Jutzi from the Greenville Swamp Rabbits for future considerations -D Zach Tolkinen was loaned to AHL Hartford -F Terrence Wallin and D Zach Tolkinen were returned on loan from AHL Hartford Coming up (all times Eastern) Fri, Jan 25th vs. Manchester Monarchs – 7:15 PM (HOME) Sat, Jan 26th @ Manchester Monarchs – 6:00 PM (AWAY) Sun, Jan. 27th vs. Adirondack Thunder – 3:00 PM (HOME) With their win on Friday, the Mariners opened up a little breathing room over Manchester, going three points up on the Monarchs. They also leapfrogged Reading into third place, by one point. The 3rd through 7th spots in the North Division are separated by just four points, with the Mariners six behind Adirondack for 2nd place. The top four teams will make the playoffs. In addition to the “White Out,” on Friday, it’s Maine Children’s Cancer Program night, presented by Anthem. It’s also “Local Business Night” and a 1-2-3 Friday: $1 hot dogs, $2 popcorn, and $3 Bud Light Drafts through the start of the 2nd period. Sunday afternoon marks the third Sunday home game of the season (of nine) - the Mariners are 2-0 so far. Fun Facts/Notes: The Mariners are now 4-0-0-0 against the Manchester Monarchs at home this season (6-2-0-0 overall) Ryan Ferrill is now the team leader in power play goals, with four (he has five total goals). Brandon Halverson stopped 70 of 71 shots last week, tying him for third in the ECHL with a .928 SV%. Today is the CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic and Skills Showcase in Toledo, OH. Mariners All-Star representative Sean Day is not present, due to AHL call up. The game will air live at 7 PM ET on NHL Network. Read the full article

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KEELEY: HALVERSON STOPS 43 FOR FIRST SHUTOUT IN MARINERS HISTORY

Ferrill scores the lone goal in 1-0 win over Manchester BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME – January 18, 2019 – Ryan Ferrill broke a scoreless tie with a power-play goal at 9:29 of the third period and Brandon Halverson did the rest. The Mariners’ star goaltender was perfect on Saturday night at the Cross Insurance Arena, stopping all 43 Manchester Monarch shots in a 1-0 win. The shutout was the first in Mariners franchise history and catapulted the Mariners into third place in the North Division heading into the All-Star break. Zach Tolkinen and Dexter Dancs dropped the gloves at 2:17 of the first period, energizing the crowd of 3,366 early. Despite the fight, most of the first 40 minutes was controlled by Manchester, who held a 35-19 shot edge through two periods. Halverson was locked in, stopping everything that came his way. Monarchs goaltender Charles Williams kept with him, save for save. At 7:54 of the third, Jack Nevins was called for boarding, sending the Mariners to their first power play of the game. Zach Tolkinen fed Jason Salvaggio, who blasted a one-timer that was tipped by Ryan Ferrill past Williams to finally break the double goose eggs. From there, the Mariners rallied around Halverson, blocking shots, and playing their best period of the three to hold on for the 1-0 win. Since his return from a one-game AHL call-up last Monday, Halverson has stopped 89 of 90 total shots between Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to Newfoundland and tonight’s win. It was his second professional shutout. Williams stopped 28 of 29 on the losing side. With Reading’s loss to Brampton, the Mariners jump the Royals and into third place for the first time in 2019. Both teams are off for one week and the ECHL All-Star break and will meet again next Friday, January 25th at the Cross Insurance Arena. It’s “White Out Night” as fans are encouraged to wear white clothing for a chance to win tickets to the March 8th Stanley Cup Visit when the Mariners host South Carolina. It’s also Maine Children’s Cancer Night presented by Anthem and local business and non-profit night. All Friday home games feature $1 hot dogs, $2 popcorn, and $3 Bud Lights through the start of the 2nd period. 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: HOME COOKING STARTS WEDNESDAY

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners Jan. 14, 2019 – The Mariners have been much more comfortable on home ice than the road this season, and unfortunately that trend continued on last week’s trip to Newfoundland and Brampton. Winning just one of their four games in Canada, the Mariners allowed their opponents to pick up 7 of a possible 8 points and surrendered 23 goals along the way. The good news is that 9 of the next 12 will be played at the Cross Insurance Arena, a place they are 11-4-1 on the season. The week that was Tuesday, Jan. 8th – MNE: 4, NFL: 8 Jason Salvaggio got the road trip off to a good start by scoring early as the Mariners dominated the first half of the opening period. Newfoundland quickly flipped the switch and got the next two before the end of the frame, and then added four in the second period. A pair of late middle frame goals by Ty Ronning and Drew Melanson cut into the deficit, but an empty netter and a late power play goal brought the game to an ugly 8-4 final score. FULL GAME RECAP Wednesday, Jan. 9th – MNE: 4, NFL: 5 Salvaggio scored in his third game in a row to tie the game at 1 in the first, but Newfoundland had a 3-1 lead through one and a 4-2 lead heading into the third period. It looked like game over when the Growlers went up 5-2 halfway through the third, but the Mariners got two goals with their goalie pulled to set up a frantic finish. Michal McNicholas nearly tied the game but had an open net blocked by James Melindy, and Newfoundland hung on to complete the St. John’s season series sweep. FULL GAME RECAP Saturday, Jan. 12th – MNE: 4, BRM: 3/OT The Mariners played a dominant opening period, outshooting Brampton 21-7 and getting a 2-0 lead on goals by Melanson and Salvaggio. Brampton battled back to tie the game in the second period, before falling behind again on a Morgan Adams-Moisan breakaway goal. The Beast dominated the rest of the game, tying it with just over two minutes left in regulation and registering eight shots in overtime. With 5.6 seconds left in the 3-on-3, Ty Ronning buried the lone Mariners OT shot, giving the Mariners a 4-3 win. FULL GAME RECAP Sunday, Jan. 13th – MNE: 3, BRM: 7 After owning the first period on Saturday, the Mariners had the script flipped on them on Sunday when Brampton scored three goals in the opening 6:15, chasing starting goaltender Ed Minney in his Maine debut. Wade Murphy and Brycen Martin pulled the Mariners back in the game, but they never got closer than one down, as Artur Tianulin registered a hat trick, capped by the first of two Beast empty net goals. FULL GAME RECAP Transactions -G Brandon Halverson was recalled to AHL Hartford -Mariners acquire F Wade Murphy from Kalamazoo to complete November trade -Mariners claim G Ed Minney off waivers from Wichita -G Brandon Halverson was reassigned from AHL Hartford to Maine -F Joe Kalisz was released and placed on waivers Coming up (all times Eastern) Weds, Jan 16th vs. Newfoundland Growlers – 7:00 PM (HOME) Fri, Jan 18th vs. Manchester Monarchs – 7:15 PM (HOME) The home team has won all five meetings between Maine and Newfoundland this season – with the last four games at the Mile One Centre in St. John’s. The Mariners defeated the Growlers 4-2 on October 21st at the Cross Insurance Arena for their first win in franchise history. The final three games of the season series will be played in Portland. Manchester is just four points behind the Mariners for the fourth and final North Division playoff spot and visits the Cross Insurance Arena on consecutive Fridays. This coming Friday is Bath Savings Night and will also feature a “Tour de Bikes” - Motorcycles, Flat Track Bikes, and Quads will be on display in the  concourse provided by Big Moose Harley-Davidson - bikes that will be driven in the Maine Motorsports Xtreme International Ice Racing Championships on Saturday January 19 at the Cross Insurance Arena. Riders from the event will also be present. All Friday home games are 1-2-3 Fridays: $1 hot dogs, $2 popcorn, and $3 Bud Light Drafts through the start of the second period. Fun Facts/Notes: -F Ty Ronning has a ten game point streak, the longest for a Mariner this season -F Morgan Adams-Moisan scored in three of the four games on the road trip and is now tied with Alex Kile for the team lead in goals (13) -The Mariners have won five consecutive OT or shootout games, and are 5-1 overall in games going beyond regulation Read the full article

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KEELEY: (SAT) RONNING RESCUES MARINERS IN OVERTIME

Ronning scores with 5.6 left in OT in Brampton BY: Michael Keeley, Howlings BRAMPTON, ON – January 12, 2019 – After losing the lead late in the third, the Mariners were outshot 8-1 by the Brampton Beast in overtime, but the one was all they needed to come up with a 4-3 win on Saturday night at the CAA Centre. Ty Ronning scored with 5.6 seconds left in the 3-on-3 to extend his point streak to ten games and gain the Mariners an important two points. The Mariners played a dominant first period, outshooting Brampton 21-7 and got a 2-0 lead on goals by Drew Melanson at 3:23 and Jason Salvaggio (PPG) at 17:09. Melanson buried a rebound produced by a Dillan Fox wraparound for the game’s first goal and Salvaggio scored for his fourth game in a row with a blast deflecting off a Brampton defenseman. The Beast got an early power play goal from defenseman Matt Petgrave at 4:18 of the 2nd period to slice the lead in half and eventually tied it six minutes later when Erik Bradford got in alone and deked Hannu Toivonen. The Mariners again won the shot battle, 10-9 but the game was tied at two after 40 minutes. At 4:41 of the third, Morgan Adams-Moisan blocked a shot at the Mariners blue line and skated all the way in on Beast goaltender Etienne Marcoux, beating him with a forehand move for his 12th of the season a 3-2 Mariners lead. From then on, Brampton dominated puck possession, relentlessly attacking in the Mariners zone until Bradford finally tied the game up at 17:47, ripping a shot just off the inside of the post and in. Brampton won the shot battle 14-3 in the third to force OT. Toivonen, who stood tall through the third period, continued his strong play in OT, turning aside eight more shots. In the dying seconds, Ronning skated away on a two-on-one with Ryan Culkin and beat Marcoux’s blocker for the game-winner on the Mariners’ lone shot of OT. Toivonen got his second win of the season, making 35 stops. Marcoux stopped 31 in the loss. The Mariners and Beast wrap up the season series on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 PM at the CAA Centre. Maine will return home and greet Newfoundland on Wednesday, January 16th at 7:00 PM. Tickets can be purchased at MarinersOfMaine.com or by calling 207-775-3458. Read the full article