BEN HAWERCHUK RETURNS TO JACKSONVILLE ICEMEN By: Alex Reed, Jacksonville Icemen JACKSONVILLE, FL – Ben Hawerchuk returns to the Jacksonville Icemen, the team, the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack, announced today. The Icemen agreed to terms with the 24-year-old forward for the 2022-23 season. Hawerchuk returns to the Icemen, where he posted a balanced 35 points (18g, 17a) with 117 penalty minutes in 65 games played last season. Hawerchuk also became very dependable in overtime situations, scoring three overtime-winning goals. "We are thrilled to be able to have Ben back with us for this season," said Icemen Head Coach Nick Luukko. "Ben brings a lot of intangibles to our lineup and possesses a nice mix of offensive ability, grit and the ability to score the big goal in key moments. In addition, he is another addition to our core group from last season." During the 2020-21 season, Hawerchuk played in Sweden last season with Ostersunds IK, where he collected 23 points (12g, 11a) in 33 games.   In 2019-2020,  Hawerchuk began his professional career with the Brampton Beast, logging three points (2g, 1a) in 14 games. Before his time in Brampton, the 5-11 185-pound forward began that season with the University of New Brunswick (USports), where he recorded eight points (1g, 7a) in 13 contests. "I am really excited be coming back to Jacksonville, I enjoyed my time here last season," said Hawerchuk. "The coaching staff and management are top notch and they put me in a position to succeed, so it was an easy decision to return this season." The King City, Ontario resident totaled 136 points (67g, 69a) in his four seasons with the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).   Hawerchuk is the son of the late Dale Hawerchuk, who amassed 1,409 points in 16 NHL seasons from 1981-1997. The Icemen open the 2022-2023 season at home this Saturday, October 22, against the Orlando Solar Bears. Full and partial season ticket packages are currently available!   Contact the Icemen office at 904-602-7825, or visit jacksonvilleicemen.com for more information. JACKSONVILLE ICEMEN HOME Read the full article

BY: Jordan Kuhn. Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Greenville Swamp Rabbits are proud to announce the addition of Phillip Barski as the team's assistant coach. Barski, 41, joins the Swamp Rabbits organization after serving as head coach of Podhale Nowy Targ in the Polska Hokej Liga, the top hockey league in Poland. Under his direction, the team finished third in the league with 87 standings points, qualified for the Polish Cup, and had a +87 goal differential. "We are very happy to bring Phillip in as our assistant coach and I know he will have a big impact on our organization," said head coach Andrew Lord. "There were many great candidates who we interviewed, but Phillip stood out for a number of reasons. He brings a wealth of experience having coached for a number of years, including four seasons of professional hockey." Barski joins the Swamp Rabbits with ten seasons of coaching experience. He served as an assistant coach for one season with the Pickering Panthers of the OJHL, two seasons as an assistant at York University in Toronto, one season as the video coach with the Brampton Beast of the ECHL, two seasons as an assistant coach with HC Bolzano in Italy, and lastly, head coach of Podhale Nowy Targ this past season. "Phillip gained valuable head coaching experience this past season in Poland. He also won a championship with Bolzano in the top hockey league in Austria. Read the full article

BY: Jordan Kuhn, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Greenville Swamp Rabbits have made the following transactions to complete future considerations trades throughout the 2019–20 season: The Swamp Rabbits have acquired defenseman Jimmy Mazza from the Reading Royals as part of future considerations that changed hands five separate times. To complete the trade for forward, Cédric Lacroix from the Wheeling Nailers, the Nailers have chosen to acquire defenseman Chad Duchesne from the Swamp Rabbits. To complete the trade for forward, Mathieu Foget from the Brampton Beast, the Beast have chosen to acquire defenseman Cameron Heath from the Swamp Rabbits. Mazza has 19 pro games under his belt, all spent in Berks County, Pennsylvania. He has posted an assist, 19 penalty minutes, and a plus-two rating in that span. The New York native was one of the Golden Griffins' best scoring defensemen, finishing fourth in scoring with 68 points in Canisius' Division I tenure. He also excelled in the classroom as a three-time Atlantic Hockey All-Academic selection. That excellence also dated back to his time with the PAL Junior Islanders of the USPHL where he was Defensive Player of the Year in 2015 as captain of the team. Duchesne departs the Swamp Rabbits organization with the fourth-most games played all-time in Greenville hockey history (237). In four seasons with the team, the Ontario native posted 48 points (6 goals, 42 assists). Read the full article

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME: Here is a recap of key dates and events from the 2019-2020 season. Mar. 24, 2020 – Regardless of the hockey team one played, worked, or rooted for in 2019-20, it will be a season they’ll never forget. An abrupt end to the ECHL season cut down the Maine Mariners schedule to 62 games and took away what looked to be the first postseason appearance in franchise history. While we’ll never know how the 2019-20 season would have turned out in the end, the second season of Mariners hockey brought many exciting moments to the Cross Insurance Arena and the great hockey fans of Maine. Here are some significant moments that marked the shortened, but a memory-filled season that was. October 11th, 2019 vs. ADK: The Mariners open the season at home against the Adirondack Thunder, just as they did in their inaugural campaign. Unfortunately, history repeats itself and the Mariners suffered a 5-2 loss. Taylor Cammarata scores both Maine goals, attempting to bring them back from a 3-0 deficit late. October 19th, 2019 @ REA: The Mariners get their first win of the season, spoiling the Reading Royals home opener. Tom McCollum(who would ironically become a Royal later in the season), makes 44 saves, and the Mariners put up 5 goals in a 5-3 victory. This would turn out to be their lone win in Reading for the season. November 9th, 2019 vs. ADK: In front of the largest crowd of the season (4,588) on Military Appreciation Night, Jake Elmer nets the first of four Mariners hat tricks, leading the Mariners to a 5-1 win over Adirondack. November 11th, 2019 vs. REA: With Gritty in the building, the Mariners defeat the Reading Royals, 4-3 in overtime. Alex Kile scores the game-winning goal just 23 seconds into the extra period, his first goal of the season. Kile would prove to be a clutch OT player for the Mariners all season long. November 15th, 2019 vs. BRM: The Mariners honor NHL refereeing great, Maine Sports Hall of Fame inductee, and South Portland resident Wes McCauley, as they defeat the Brampton Beast, 6-3 despite letting a 3-0 lead slip away quickly late in the 2nd period. The win is the Mariners’ fourth in a row. November 26th, 2019 vs. WOR: After losing two of three in Norfolk, the Mariners return home before Thanksgiving to win a wild one in overtime, 5-4 in their first home meeting of the season with the Worcester Railers. Ryan Gropp scores two goals while Kile gets his second overtime winner in the span of 15 days. This turns out to be the final game for Railers head coach Jamie Russell, who is relieved of his duties the following day. December 6th, 2019 @ ADK: Jake Elmer registers his second hat trick against Adirondack in less than a month, capping it with the overtime winner to rescue the Mariners, who had blown a 4-1 lead. It was only Maine’s second-ever win at the Cool Insuring Arena but would turn out to be the start of a remarkable Mariners run in Glens Falls. December 7th, 2019 vs. ADK: Elmer continues his dominance of the Thunder, scoring the Teddy Bear Toss goal early, and adding his fifth goal of the weekend to later tie the game at 4 in the third period. Ty Ronning’s shorthanded goal is the game-winner and Elmer goes on to win ECHL Player of the Week honors. December 10th, 2019 vs. ADK: Francois Brassard makes his season debut and gets the win as Dillan Fox tips home a Brandon Crawley pass in the final minute of overtime to give the Mariners a 3-2 win and a three-game sweep of Adirondack. December 21st, 2019 @ ADK: The Mariners finish off back-to-back pre-Christmas 4-3 shootout wins in Adirondack when Taylor Cammarata scores in the fifth round to end it. Each game featured the Thunder tying it up late, but the Mariners getting the shootout bonus point. Maine goes into holiday break in sole possession of the fourth and final playoff spot in the North Division and a season-high four games above .500. January 3rd, 2020 vs. JAX: The Mariners and the Jacksonville IceMen meet for the first time ever, and Maine rallies from down 3-2 late in the 2nd to get a 5-3 win. Terrence Wallin’s first career hat trick leads the way as he scores one in each period, including the game-winner in the third. January 14th, 2020 vs. WOR: The Mariners snapped a five-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over Worcester at home. Rookie forward Mikael Robidoux enters the scene, stirring up physical play and drawing the Railers into penalties, ultimately allowing the Mariners to score back-to-back power play goals late in the 3rd to flip the score in their favor. January 24th, 2020 vs. WOR: Returning from the All-Star break after playing eight games in ten days, the Mariners explode for a franchise-best eight goals – three by Ty Ronning. They score three goals in a 58-second span in the 2nd period to pull away. Adam Huska makes his Mariners debut in between the pipes and makes 43 saves. January 29th, 2020 @ ADK: The Mariners win yet again in Glens Falls 3-0, as Connor LaCouvee picks up his third shutout in a span of 10 starts and his second in a row. Their win two nights later makes it six consecutive road victories over Adirondack. The streak goes to seven with another win in mid-February. February 1st, 2020 vs. ADK: In a partnership with Agren and Make-A-Wish Maine, the Mariners wear jerseys designed by 11-year-old “Wish Kid” Ellie LaBree, and take down the Thunder, 3-2 in OT. Michael McNicholas scores the golden goal, which improves the franchise’s all-time “extra time” record to 20-3-2 (W-OTL-SOL). February 7th, 2020 vs. WOR: LaCouvee makes 45 stops to lead the Mariners to a season-high five wins in a row, squeezing out a 2-1 victory over Worcester. The streak ends the following night, with a 3-2 OT loss to Brampton, but the point streak gets to six. February 11th, 2020 vs. BRM: The Mariners salvage the last of a three-game home set with the Brampton Beast when Alex Kile gets his third OT winner of the season with less than a minute remaining. This would turn out to be the final win on home ice for the Mariners in 2019-20. February 14th, 2020 @ NFL: The Mariners are on the wrong side of some ECHL history when the Newfoundland Growlers win their 19th consecutive home game, 5-1. The Mariners fall to 0-5-0-0 all-time at Mile One Centre, but the best is yet to come. February 15th, 2020 @ NFL: Morgan Adams-Moisan scores a late power play goal to break a 1-1 tie and end the Growlers’ streak before it can reach 20. Francois Brassard gets his first of consecutive wins in between the pipes as the Mariners go on to take three in a row in St. John’s, becoming the first team to ever do so against the Growlers. February 26th, 2020 @ REA: The Royals crush the Mariners, 8-0, the largest margin of defeat in franchise history. The Mariners play the game with just four defensemen due to injuries and the last moment illness to captain Zach Tolkinen. February 28th, 2020 @ WHE: The franchise’s first trip to Wheeling marks a homecoming for Mariners Head Coach Riley Armstrong, who was an assistant for the Nailers from 2016-18. Terrence Wallin scores a pair – including the beneficiary of a Nailers' “own goal,” and Greg Chase scores the game-winner in the 3rd. This becomes Maine’s final victory of the season. March 10th, 2020 vs. NOR: The fateful final game of the season, unbeknownst to anyone. The Mariners battled back from a pair of one-goal deficits but Norfolk’s J.C. Campagna scores on a breakaway with 2:05 left to hand the Mariners a 3-2 loss. The final goal of the Mariners’ season belongs to Cumberland native, Ted Hart. The Mariners' final record will read 32-26-3-1. They went 16-15-2-0 on home ice and 16-11-1-1 on the road (they had only 15 road wins in all of 2018-19). When the season halted, the Mariners were 11 points ahead of Adirondack for the fourth and final playoff spot in the North Division, and three points behind Brampton for third place. They had seven games remaining with Worcester, two with Adirondack, and one with Reading. CLICK HERE for a video recap of the 2019-20 season! 2019-20 Records: Overall: 32-26-3-1 Home: 16-15-2-0 Road: 16-11-1-1 vs. ADK: 12-4-0-0 vs. WOR: 7-2-1-1 vs. NFL: 5-6-0-0 vs. BRM: 3-2-2-0 vs. REA: 2-6-0-0 The Mariners used 42 different players this season: 23 forwards, 15 defensemen, and 4 goaltenders. 2019-20 Team Leaders: Points: Alex Kile (51) Goals: Terrence Wallin/Dillan Fox (23) Assists: Alex Kile (35) Games Played: Michael McNicholas (60) PIM: Mikael Robidoux (80) PPG: Terrence Wallin/Dillan Fox (5) SHG: Michael McNicholas (2) GWG: Terrence Wallin (7) Wins: Connor LaCouvee (20) GAA: Connor LaCouvee (2.75) SV%: Connor LaCouvee (.915) Notable League Ranks (Individual): Terrence Wallin – T-2nd, game-winning goals (7) Alex Kile – T-2nd, longest road point streak (12 games, 11/22/19-1/7/20) Connor LaCouvee – 4th, saves (1060), 4th, shootout SV% (.833), 13th, GAA (2.75) Ryan Culkin – 16th, points by a defenseman (33) Notable League Ranks (Team): Team, shorthanded goals against – T-3rd (4) Team, penalty kill – 6th (83.7%) Team, road penalty kill – 6th (85.5%) Read the full article

Montreal forward played seven games with Maine PORTLAND, ME – March 9, 2020 – Forward Andrew Sturtz was recalled to the AHL’s Laval Rocket by the Montreal Canadiens on Monday. Sturtz appeared in seven games for the Mariners after being assigned on February 21st. A 25-year-old from Buffalo, NY, Sturtz signed a pro deal with the Ottawa Senators out of Penn State University in late March of 2018. He spent parts of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons with Ottawa’s AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators - appearing in a total of 35 games, scoring four goals and adding seven assists. On January 3rd, Sturtz was traded from Ottawa to the Montreal Canadiens and assigned to Laval. On February 21st, he was reassigned to Maine. For the Mariners, Sturtz has played in seven games, scoring one goal, and adding three assists. He has played an additional four ECHL games this season for the Brampton Beast, with one goal and one assist. He has yet to make his Laval Rocket debut. The Mariners are home on Tuesday at 7 PM to take on the Norfolk Admirals in the final non-divisional game of the year. This weekend, they have a home-and-home with the Railers – Friday at Worcester and Saturday at 6 PM at the Cross Insurance Arena. It’s “Beacon’s Birthday Bash,” and the first 1,000 kids in attendance 12 and under will receive a Mariners travel toothbrush. Groups of 10 or more can get discounted tickets 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. All Saturday and Sunday home games also feature the Family Four Pack – four tickets, four food and drink vouchers, and four Mariners beverage koozies, starting at $80, and must be purchased in advance. Read the full article

McEneny goes from Norfolk to Maine, completing Johnny Coughlin deal BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME – March 5, 2020 – The Mariners added to their blue line with a move at Thursday’s ECHL trade deadline, acquiring defenseman Austin McEneny from the Norfolk Admirals. The deal completes a trade from October 16th, 2019, which sent defenseman Johnny Coughlin from the Mariners to the Admirals. McEneny, 22 years old, is a native of Waterdown, ON, near Hamilton. He’s in his second ECHL season, spending all of 2018-19 with the Brampton Beast. Last season in 45 games, McEneny scored three goals and added 11 assists. Through 35 contents with Norfolk this season, he’s matched those numbers identically. McEneny also brings playoff experience to the Mariners, appearing in all six postseason games for the Beast last season, while registering two assists. The 5’11, 174-pound blue-liner played in both the QMJHL and OHL prior to turning pro. In 2014-15, McEneny played for the Quebec Remparts and was a teammate of Mariners' forward Mikael Robidoux. He then joined Mariners defenseman Sean Day and the Windsor Spitfires in 2016-17 and won a Memorial Cup. McEneny spent the first half of 2017-18 in Windsor before being traded to the Kitchener Rangers in January 2018. The 2017-18 season was his best offensively, registering six goals and 24 assists in a total of 61 games between the two teams. In July of 2018, McEneny signed his first pro deal with the Brampton Beast. This past August, he was traded to the Orlando Solar Bears, only to be flipped to Norfolk in a three-team October deal. The Mariners are home twice this weekend, playing Friday and Sunday at the Cross Insurance Arena. Friday night is “Throwback Night/80s Night,” presented by Partners Bank. The Mariners will wear vintage AHL Mariners jerseys with the orange, white, and black color scheme, which are up for auction via Handbid now, running until the end of the 3rd period on Friday. It’s also a 1-2-3 Friday: $1 Aquafina, $2 Pepsi products, and $3 Bud Lights through the start of the 2nd period. Throwback Weekend continues on Sunday, March 8th with “I Love the 90s” against Worcester at 3 PM, also featuring a postgame full-team autograph session. Groups of 10 or more can get discounted tickets 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. All Saturday and Sunday home games also feature the Family Four Pack – four tickets, four food and drink vouchers, and four Mariners beverage koozies, starting at $80, and must be purchased in advance. Read the full article

The Mariners “Magic Number” is calculated by the combination of points gained and points “not gained” by the first non-playoff team (Adirondack). For example, each Mariners win reduces the number by two, and each overtime or shootout loss reduces it by one. Conversely, each Adirondack regular loss reduces the number by two, and each Adirondack overtime or shootout loss reduces it by one. The top four teams in the division make the playoffs, with the top two getting “home-ice advantage” in the first round. Adirondack travels to Newfoundland for the next three games, beginning Wednesday night.  Looking ahead: The Mariners wrap up their homestand on Tuesday, Mar. 10, as they welcome in the Norfolk Admirals at 7 PM in the final non-divisional game of the season. Next weekend features a home-and-home with Worcester: at the DCU Center on Friday, and back at the Cross Insurance Arena on Saturday at 6 PM. Promotions feature “Girls Night Out” and Beacon’s Birthday Bash, with a travel toothbrush giveaway to the first 1,000 kids 12 and under. 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

Mariners can’t make a fifth comeback, fall at home to league’s best team BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners  PORTLAND, ME – March 1, 2020 – The Mariners battled back from four one-goal deficits but never led, and ultimately fell 6-4 to the South Carolina Stingrays on Sunday afternoon at the Cross Insurance Arena. Steve Whitney scored two goals plus an assist for South Carolina while Jeff Taylor facilitated the Mariners offense with three assists. The first three goals of the game came in the final five minutes of the first period. Whitney ripped a wrister past the glove of Connor LaCouvee at 15:04 to make it 1-0 Stingrays. Michael McNicholas tied the game at 17:24 with a nice shot inside the post, but the Stingrays took the momentum back quickly with a Tim Harrison shorthanded goal at 19:14, finishing a net drive from Andrew Cherniwchan. It was 2-1 ‘Rays after one period. The second period was rather chaotic, as each team scored three times. Terrence Wallin tipped a power play shot from Alex Kile past Parker Milner just 21 seconds into the frame to tie the game at two. Alec Marsh put the Stingrays back ahead at 3:05, only to be answered by a Dillan Fox power play tally at 8:32. Kile’s drive once again made the play, with Jeff Taylor picking up an assist on each of Maine’s first three goals. The Stingrays got a power play goal of their own at 10:52 from Matthew Weis, which was answered 21 seconds later when Andrew Sturtz backhanded a rebound from a McNicholas shot under Milner’s stick. Whitney would score his second goal of the game off a broken zone entry at 16:21 to restore the South Carolina lead heading to the third. The lone goal of the third came from Cherniwchan on the power play at 8:54 to bring the game to a 6-4 final. Milner earned his 20th win with 26 stops. LaCouvee stopped 25 in the loss. Due to the Reading Royals’ win at Worcester, the Mariners fell seven points out of 2nd place, but remain four ahead of the idle Brampton Beast for third and still ten up on Adirondack for a playoff spot, with a “magic number” of 17 points. The winner of the Captain Joel Barnes Community Service Award, announced during the second intermission, was Matthew St. Pierre of the Hampden Fire Department. Today marks the one year anniversary of the tragic passing of the Berwick fire captain. The Mariners host Reading on Friday, March 6th for “80s Night/Throwback Night,” presented by Partner’s Bank. The Mariners will wear vintage AHL Mariners jerseys with the orange, white, and black color scheme, which will go on auction via Handbid, starting March 2nd and running until the end of the 3rd period on Friday. It’s also a 1-2-3 Friday: $1 Aquafina, $2 Pepsi products, and $3 Bud Lights through the start of the 2nd period. Throwback Weekend continues on Sunday, March 8th with “I Love the 90s” against Worcester at 3 PM, also featuring a postgame full-team autograph session. 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. 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, and must be purchased in advance of game day. Read the full article