#NickSorkin

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CRAWFORD: GILMOUR LEADS PACK TO 4-3 OT WIN OVER THE DEVILS

BY: Bob Crawford, Hartford Wolf Pack Hartford, CT, March 13, 2019 – John Gilmour’s second goal of the game, and 20th of the season, at 2:20 of overtime lifted the Hartford Wolf Pack to a 4-3 win over the Binghamton Devils Wednesday night at the XL Center. On the winning play, Binghamton’s Josh Jacobs fumbled the puck just inside the Wolf Pack blue line, allowing Gilmour to spring out the other way on a breakaway.  He moved to his backhand and slipped a shot through the legs of Devil netminder Cam Johnson (24 saves). "I had a lot of space, and did a move I've never done before, and got lucky," said Gilmour.  “The first period was definitely ours, but we let off the gas pedal a little bit in the second and parts of the third." “Real Credit to John he’s playing excellent hockey for us,” Wolf Pack head coach Keith McCambridge said of Gilmour, who now has 51 points on the season, tops among AHL blueliners.   "He's a solid two-way defenseman. His progression has not only been as a player on the ice but on the bench, he's become a real leader." Vinni Lettieri had tied the game for the Wolf Pack with a power-play goal in the third period, and he also had an assist.  Tim Gettinger also had a goal and an assist for Hartford, and Steven Fogarty added two assists.  Alex Krushelnyski, Nick Saracino and Egor Sharangovich had the Binghamton goals. Brandon Halverson made 21 saves for the Wolf Pack, for his AHL career-high fourth straight win. The Wolf Pack had a strong opening period, outshooting the visitors 13-5 and taking a 1-0 lead. Gilmour opened the scoring at 12:07 with his 19th goal of the season, a new franchise record for a defenseman.  On a rush, Fogarty fired a hard shot off of left wing, and the puck went off of the pads of Johnson right to Gilmour in the right circle, and he blasted it into the goal. The Devils’ fourth line had a great shift early in the second period, and a Krushelnyski goal tied the score only 63 seconds into the middle frame.  Nick Sorkin was upended by Brandon Crawley to the left of Halverson, but Sorkin was able to tip the puck to Krushelnyski in the faceoff circle.  He snapped a shot behind Halverson high on the glove side. Binghamton then took the lead on a power play at 7:44, with Matt Beleskey off for high-sticking.  Ryan Schmelzer worked the puck off the right-wing boards to Saracino along the goal line, and he stepped into the slot and fired.  Halverson stopped Saracino’s first bid, but he was able to grab his own rebound and put the puck in on the second chance. The Wolf Pack got that goal back at 13:14, with two seconds left on a hooking penalty to Sam Kurker.  Ryan Gropp fed a pass from the right-wing corner to Fogarty near the point, and Gettinger deflected his shot past Johnson’s catching glove. The Devils went ahead again, though, with only 4.7 seconds left in the second, on a penalty-shot goal by Sharangovich.  Darren Raddysh spilled Sharangovich on a semi-breakaway, bringing the penalty shot call, and Sharangovich converted.  He faked a forehand shot and then put a backhander in on Halverson’s glove side. The Wolf Pack tied the score, and forced overtime, on a 4-on-3 man advantage at 11:17 of the third, just seven seconds after Kurker was called for slashing.  Gettinger won a faceoff from Schmelzer in the circle to Johnson’s right, drawing the puck back to Gilmour.  He sent a feed to Lettieri at the top of the left circle, and he one-timed a shot past the stick side of Johnson, who was screened by Devil defenseman Eric Gryba. "It's a good feeling to win,” Gilmour said, “but at the same time we have 10 games left here, so we want to build on it." The next action for the Wolf Pack is the first of four straight road games this Friday night, March 15 at Syracuse.  The Wolf Pack and Crunch face off at 7:00 PM and all of the action can be heard live on News Radio 1410 AM, and 100.9 FM, WPOP, and online at newsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio.  Video streaming is available at theahl.com/AHLTV. The Wolf Pack’s next home game is Friday, March 29, a 7:15 PM contest vs. the Charlotte Checkers.  As at all Friday-night Wolf Pack home games, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs, and $2 beers and fountain sodas, through the start of the second period, presented by Nomads Adventure Quest. Tickets for all 2018-19 Wolf Pack home games are on sale now at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center, online at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $13 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase. Season ticket information for the Wolf Pack’s 2018-19 AHL season can be found online at hartfordwolfpack.com.  To speak with a representative about all of the Wolf Pack’s many attractive ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451, or click here to request more info. Binghamton Devils 3 at Hartford Wolf Pack 4 (OT) Wednesday, March 13, 2019 - XL Center Binghamton  0 3 0 0 - 3 Hartford        1 1 1 1 - 4 1st Period-1, Hartford, Gilmour 19 (Fogarty, Lettieri), 12:07. Penalties-Lettieri Hfd (tripping), 12:49. 2nd Period-2, Binghamton, Krushelnyski 1 (Sorkin, Kurker), 1:03. 3, Binghamton, Saracino 4 (Schmelzer, Ramage), 7:44 (PP). 4, Hartford, Gettinger 13 (Fogarty, Gropp), 13:14 (PP). 5, Binghamton, Sharangovich 9   19:55 (PS). Penalties-Beleskey Hfd (high-sticking), 6:44; Schmelzer Bng (slashing), 9:00; Kurker Bng (hooking), 11:16; Ronning Hfd (tripping), 16:39. 3rd Period-6, Hartford, Lettieri 22 (Gilmour, Gettinger), 11:17 (PP). Penalties-Edwardh Bng (tripping), 1:00; Sissons Bng (slashing), 10:40; Fogarty Hfd (slashing), 10:40; Kurker Bng (slashing), 11:10; Krushelnyski Bng (high-sticking), 17:19. OT Period-7, Hartford, Gilmour 20   2:20. Penalties-No Penalties Shots on Goal-Binghamton 5-11-8-0-24. Hartford 13-6-6-3-28. Power Play Opportunities-Binghamton 1 / 3; Hartford 2 / 5. Goalies-Binghamton, Johnson 8-13-2 (28 shots-24 saves). Hartford, Halverson 7-4-3 (24 shots-21 saves). A-1,775 Referees-Jeremy Tufts (78), Jordan Deckard (14). Linesmen-Robert St. Lawrence (10), Paul Simeon (66). Read the full article

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KEELEY: TOIVONEN BACKSTOPS MARINERS TO SIXTH STRAIGHT WIN

Toivonen stops 41 as Mariners sweep weekend from Worcester BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME – December 29, 2018 – The Mariners won their third game of the week and sixth in a row overall as they defeated the Worcester Railers on the road Saturday night at the DCU Center. Former Boston Bruins goaltender Hannu Toivonen made his Maine debut and turned aside 41 of 42, narrowly missing the first shutout in franchise history. At 12:43 of the opening period, Morgan Adams-Moisan deflected a Derek Pratt shot behind Railers goaltender Evan Buitenhuis for a 1-0 Mariners lead. Greg Chase doubled the lead at 16:24 when Ty Ronning caused a turnover near the blue line and found him alone in front. Chase has three goals in as many games as a Mariner. Maine led 2-0 at the end of one. Toivonen was especially good in the second period, stopping 16 Worcester shots while the power play added to the lead at the 16:00 mark when Michael McNicholas cashed a rebound from Scott Savage’s point shot. McNicholas had a second goal waived off late in the third when incidental contact with the goaltender was ruled. With 1:36 to go, the Railers spoiled the shutout bid when Nick Sorkin finished a Woody Hudson pass from below the goal line. Buitenhuis stopped 22, falling to 0-3-1-1 against the Mariners this season. The Mariners improved to 6-3-0 against Worcester as they won their third straight road game in addition to their six-game overall streak. With Reading’s shootout loss to Newfoundland, the Mariners move into third place in the North. Maine will visit Manchester on Monday at 6:00 PM to close out the 2018 calendar year. The Mariners are back home next weekend to welcome in the Brampton Beast on January 4th and 5th. Friday, January 4th is another 1-2-3 Friday, while Saturday night is “Throwback Night” featuring original Maine Mariners jerseys and alumni appearances. Tickets can be purchased at MarinersOfMaine.com or by calling 207-775-3458. Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARINER'S WEEKLY - Holiday Edition

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME: Dec. 17, 2018 – After the busiest week of the season, and perhaps one of the most tiresome in the careers of many Mariners, they’ll enjoy a much deserved light week, with just one game before Christmas. Traveling to Manchester on Saturday, the Mariners won’t play again until the 27th and 28th on home ice. They managed to go 3-2-0 in the five-game gauntlet last week and have themselves within striking distance of third place in the North heading into the holiday. The week that was Sunday, Dec. 9th – WOR: 2, MNE: 4 This game was recapped in last week’s Mariners Weekly.  Tuesday, Dec. 11th – MNE: 3, NFL: 6 The Mariners jumped out to a 2-0 lead by the early stages of the 2nd period on goals by Sean Day and Justin Breton, and it appeared Newfoundland’s slide would continue after losing back to back home games to Reading over the weekend. Things unraveled quickly for the Mariners, however as Newfoundland scored five times in the second period to chase Connor LaCouvee from the net and they never looked back. John Furgele scored the third Mariners goal in the loss. FULL GAME RECAP Wednesday, Dec. 12th – MNE: 2, NFL: 5 Former NHL vet Adam Pardy scored the first of two goals in an 11-second span, putting Maine in a quick 2-0 hole in the first. Riley Bourbonnais broke through in the second period, but an early power play goal in the third by the Growlers turned out to be the game winner. Michael McNicholas got one back, but a late insurance goal and an empty-netter sealed the regulation sweep. FULL GAME RECAP Friday, Dec. 14th – ADK: 2, MNE: 5 The Mariners came out of the gate flying, scoring three times in the first 5:34 on goals by Ryan Gropp, a returning Alex Kile, and Drew Melanson – his first goal in eleven games. The Thunder countered with two early in the second but Kile’s second goal of the game and Furgele’s second of the week sealed a much-needed win. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Saturday, Dec. 15th – MNE: 2, WOR: 1/SO Participating in their third teddy bear toss, the Railers got their fans chucking bears in the first, but Ryan Ferrill’s power-play goal late in the 2nd period sent the game into the third all even. In net, Brandon Halverson singlehandedly guided the team through the third and overtime before Michael McNicholas and Alex Kile scored in the shootout, besting Nick Sorkin’s lone goal on the Railers side. Halverson ended up stopping 46 of 47 Worcester shots. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Fun Facts -Maine has at least a point in 10 of its last 11 home games dating back to 10/21/18 -The Mariners are 10-0-0 when allowing two or fewer goals -Alex Kile has six goals in his last eight games -Three of Ryan Ferrill’s goals have come against Worcester Transactions -F Alex Kile was returned on loan from Hartford -F Greg Chase was acquired from the Allen Americans for F Riley Bourbonnais -D Alex Adams was released from his SPC and placed on ECHL waivers Coming up (all times Eastern) Sat, Dec 22nd @ MAN – 6:00 PM (AWAY) Thurs, Dec 27th vs. MAN – 7:00 PM (HOME) Fri, Dec 28th vs. WOR – 7:15 PM (HOME) Friday, December 28th at 7:15 PM for a 1-2-3 Friday ($1 hot dogs, $2 popcorn, and $3 Bud Lights through the start of the 2nd period), Nickelodeon Takeover Night, and First Responders Night. The Mariners will wear special Double Dare jerseys (photo attached), which will be auctioned via a silent auction, running at the sales table in the concourse through the second intermission. Tickets can be purchased at MarinersOfMaine.com or by calling 207-775-3478.  Mariners Holiday Packs are still available There are three options to choose from Blizzard, Flurry, and Snowflake. The deadline to order for holiday shipping is today. Fans can call the Mariners business office at 833-GO-MAINE to purchase. There will be a Mariners Coach’s Show on Tuesday, December 19th from 12:30 – 1:30 PM streaming live on Mixlr (MarinersOfMaine.com/listen). Head coach Riley Armstrong and forward Alex Kile will be on the show. Fans can send in questions live on the Mixlr App or by tweeting @MarinersOfMaine. Read the full article