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BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners  Jan. 27, 2020 – The Mariners and Adirondack Thunder have already played 12 times this season, but it’s the final six that could very well decide a playoff position between the two teams which have been flip-flopping between fourth and fifth in the North Division standings for the better part of the 2019-20 season. Right now it’s the Thunder with a two-point lead on the Mariners, but Maine has the inside track on the playoff spot with more wins, a better point percentage, and four games in hand. The teams will play three times this week – Wednesday and Friday in Glens Falls, and Saturday at the Cross Insurance Arena. The week that was Fri, Jan. 24th – WOR: 1, MNE: 8 The Mariners had a historic game offensively, putting up a season and franchise-high eight goals in a rout of the Worcester Railers. It was only a 2-1 game at the end of one period, with Mariners goaltender Adam Huska off to a stellar start in his ECHL debut, stopping 16 first period shots. The Mariners broke the game open with three goals between 6:02 and 7:00 of the 2nd and pulled away from there. Ty Ronning had a hat trick, while six other Mariners had multi-point performances. Huska made a total of 43 saves. FULL GAME RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS Sat, Jan. 25th – MNE: 1, WOR: 2 In a much lower scoring affair, the Mariners and Railers went into the 3rd period scoreless until Barry Almeida finally gave Worcester the lead at 6:43 of the third. Marc-Olivier Crevier-Morin scored a clutch goal at 14:07 to tie it up, but Ross Olsson’s game-winner at 18:22 put the game away in heartbreaking fashion. Worcester netminder Evan Buitenhuis robbed the Mariners of numerous scoring chances, bouncing back from his shaky performance on Friday. FULL GAME RECAP Transactions (oldest to most recent) G Adam Huska was reassigned from Hartford (AHL) to Maine by the New York Rangers F Lewis Zerter-Gossage was reassigned by Hartford (AHL) to Maine G Adam Huska was recalled to Hartford (AHL) by the New York Rangers F Lewis Zerter-Gossage was recalled by Hartford (AHL) This week’s schedule (all times Eastern) Weds, Jan. 29 @ Adirondack Thunder – 7:00 PM (AWAY) Fri, Jan. 31 @ Adirondack Thunder – 7:00 PM (AWAY) Sat, Feb. 1 vs. Adirondack Thunder – 6:00 PM (HOME) – Make-A-Wish Maine Night sponsored by Agren  On Saturday night, the Mariners will be wearing specialty jerseys designed by 11-year-old Ellie LaBree, a cancer patient and Make-A-Wish Maine “Wish Kid.” The jerseys are currently up for auction on the Handbid app, which will close at the start of the third period on Saturday night. Proceeds from the jersey auction will benefit Make-A-Wish Maine. Fans can avoid Ticketmaster Fees by purchasing tickets through the Mariners' new “Theme Night Tickets” page. For all Saturday and Sunday home games, Family Four Packs are available when purchased in advance. Family four packs include four tickets, four food, and drink vouchers, and four Mariners can koozies, starting at $80. Mariners Coach’s Show The next Mariners Coach’s Show will air on Thursday, February 6th. The show airs from 6-7 PM and also broadcasts live at Three Dollar Dewey’s at 241 Commercial Street and airs at MarinersOfMaine.com/listen. Due to team travel, the February 6th show will be the last show until the month of March. The full Coach’s Show schedule can be found at MarinersOfMaine.com/listen. Looking ahead: Saturday’s game begins a six-game homestand, all in a span of 11 days. The Mariners have back-to-back home games against Worcester on February 4th and 7th. The “Giving 3kend” is February 7th through 9th presented by Three Dollar Deweys, which includes Works for ME night with News Center Maine, Pride Night with EqualityMaine (with a sunglasses giveaway to the first 2,000 fans) and Underwear Toss, to benefit Preble Street Teen Services. The Mariners finish the homestand and a three-game series with the Brampton Beast on February 11th. The full promotional schedule can be found here. Community Collection: The Mariners and the Cross Insurance Arena are collecting books for the remainder of the regular season for Ronald McDonald Charities of Maine. Fans who donate three or more books will receive a ticket to a Mariners weekday game. Both children’s and adult’s book donations are welcomed. Items MUST be donated at the Promotions Port to the right of the main security gates. While donations will be accepted at the Mariners office and other Cross Insurance Arena events, fans are not eligible to receive tickets unless the items are donated at a Mariners game. Read the full article

Ross Olsson breaks 1-1 tie with 1:38 left as Railers earn a weekend split BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners  WORCESTER, MA – January 25, 2020 – Worcester forward Ross Olsson scored at 18:22 of the third period to put the Railers ahead 2-1, which was the final score in a heartbreaking Mariners defeat on Saturday night at the DCU Center in Worcester. The game was scoreless through the first 40 minutes of play, with goaltenders Evan Buitenhuis and Adam Huska each posting standout performances.  The Railers outshot Maine 12-9 in the first, while the Mariners won the shot battle 11-9 in the second. Huska turned aside Cody Payne on a shorthanded breakaway in the first, while Buitenhuis stopped two Greg Chase breaks. Neither team could convert on multiple power play chances and two instances of four on four. Finally, at 6:14 of the third, Barry Almeida redirected Kyle McKenzie’s shot from the left point to give Worcester a 1-0 lead. At 14:07, Marc-Olivier Crevier-Morin tied it up with a wrister from the left-wing circle, following Dillan Fox’s drive to the net. Jake Elmer also assisted. After the Mariners successfully killed a Morgan Adams-Moisan crosschecking penalty, Olsson scored the game-winner, following Shane Walsh’s shot that trickled off of Huska and behind him. Olsson easily tapped it in over the goal line. The Mariners outshot Worcester, 30-27 in the losing effort. Huska made 25 saves while Buitenhuis stopped 29. The Mariners travel to Adirondack Wednesday and Friday, to begin a three-game series with the Thunder. Their next home game is next Saturday, February 1st against Adirondack at 6 PM. It’s Make-A-Wish Maine night presented by Agren. The Mariners will wear jerseys designed by 11-year-old ‘Wish Kid’ Ellie Labree, which will be auctioned via Handbid with proceeds to benefit Make-A-Wish Maine. All Saturday and Sunday home games feature the Family Four Pack – four tickets, four food and drink vouchers, and four Mariners beverage koozies, starting at $80. Groups of 10 or more can get discounted tickets to all games by calling 833-GO-MAINE. Individual tickets can be purchased at MarinersOfMaine.com, at the Trusted Choice Box Office inside the Cross Insurance Arena, or by calling 207-775-3458. Read the full article

Mariners move within one point of a playoff spot after a road win in Worcester BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME – December 13, 2019 – Michael McNicholas scored two goals including the game-winner on a penalty shot in the 2nd period, while Connor LaCouvee made 27 stops and the Mariners defeated Worcester 4-2 on Friday night at the DCU Center in Worcester. It was Maine’s fourth win in a row, and it pulled them within one point of the Adirondack Thunder for fourth place in the North Division. The first period saw three goals in the middle stages – in a span of three minutes and 37 seconds. Michael McNicholas broke the scoreless tie at 10:42 when he worked a give and go with Greg Chase deep in the Worcester zone. Chase fed McNicholas in the slot, who put a shot just under the crossbar for a 1-0 Maine lead. Ted Hart picked up the secondary assist on the play. Just 19 seconds later, Kyle Thomas’ shot from out beyond the high slot found its way through Mariners' netminder Connor LaCouvee to quickly tie the game. At 13:19, Maine went back ahead after Jake Elmer’s wraparound was cleaned up on the opposite side of the net by Alex Kile, who banked the puck off Railer goalie Evan Buitenhuis and in for his fifth of the season. Shots favored the Mariners 12-8 at the end of one as they took the 2-1 lead into the locker room. The lone goal of the 2nd period was scored again by McNicholas, coming on a penalty shot at 11:58. McNicholas was hooked on the second of two Mariners shorthanded breakaways and beat Buitenhuis’s glove on the penalty stop attempt. It was the first Mariners penalty shot of the season, and second all-time, both by McNicholas and both against Worcester. With around three minutes to go in the period, LaCouvee made a stunning sprawling save to rob Yanick Turcotte of what looked like a sure goal. The Mariners also killed two penalties in the middle frame. With 12:17 remaining in the 3rd, Barry Almeida brought the Railers back to within one when he threw a puck from the corner off a Mariners' skate and in behind LaCouvee. The goal was initially disallowed but overturned upon video review. The Mariners added insurance with a power play goal by Greg Chase at 15:26, a perfect wrist shot from the right circle over Buitenhuis’ stick side. Chase broke a 10 game drought without a goal and also snapped a Mariners 0-for-27 power play skid. LaCouvee won his 6th game of the season with 27 stops while Buitenhuis made 22 saves in the loss. The Mariners play another in Worcester tomorrow night at 7:05, followed by a two-game series in Glens Falls next weekend and are back home on December 26th and 27th to host Adirondack and Reading. Thursday, December 26th is a 7 PM faceoff and is Nickelodeon Takeover Night featuring Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Specialty Jerseys. The puck drops at 7:15 PM on Friday, December 27th and is STEM Night – focusing on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It’s also a 1-2-3 Friday, featuring $1 Aquafina water, $2 Pepsi products, and $3 Bud Lights through the start of the 2nd period. Both games also feature the “Skate and Scarf” package, where fans can get a ticket to the game, a Mariners scarf, and a pre-game skate with Beacon the Puffin plus a snack buffet. Only 100 packages are available for each game. Groups of 10 or more can get discounted tickets to all games by calling 833-GO-MAINE. Individual tickets can be purchased at MarinersOfMaine.com, at the Trusted Choice Box Office inside the Cross Insurance Arena, or by calling 207-775-3458. Four tiers of holiday packs for all gift-giving budgets are also available at MarinersOfMaine.com/shop. Read the full article

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

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

  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

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

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