MARINERS DROP THIRD STRAIGHT IN NEWFOUNDLAND

ST. JOHN’S, NL – February 12, 2022 – The Mariners scoring drought continued on Saturday night at Mary Brown’s Centre in Newfoundland, as they were held to one goal for the second straight night in a 4-1 loss to the Growlers. Mathew Santos scored his 15th goal of the season for Maine, tying him for the team lead.

The game got off to an inauspicious start when Newfoundland’s first shot got past Mariners netminder Callum Booth. Jeremy McKenna, who had two goals on Friday, beat Booth’s glove with a wrister just 34 seconds into the action. Moments after the Mariners killed a penalty, the Growlers caught them in the midst of a line change, and Derian Plouffe spotted Evan Neugold driving the net, who tipped it home to make it 2-0 at 14:30 of the opening frame.

After the Mariners had numerous high-quality scoring chances to start the second, Growlers forward Ryan Chyzowski extended the Newfoundland lead to 3-0 at 6:45 of the middle frame, dancing through the slot and beating Booth. Santos struck at 9:58, set up in the slot on a backhand pass from Lewis Zerter-Gossage just as the Growlers were returning to full strength from a penalty kill. Zerter-Gossage would leave the game injured when Growlers defenseman Luke Bafia was called for an illegal check to the head, resulting in a 5-minute Mariners power play. Nick Master’s backhander off the crossbar was as close as the Mariners would come to closing the gap back to one.

In the third, McKenna scored the only goal of the frame, coming on the power play at 8:19, ripping a shot past Booth’s stick side. It was McKenna’s fourth goal of the weekend and the Growlers’ fifth power play tally of the series. Keith Petruzzelli won for the third time this week, making 23 saves. He’s allowed just two goals in his last four starts. Booth stopped 27, including a spectacular stop in the third against Orrin Centazzo.

The Mariners (19-18-3-2) and Growlers will finish their four game series in St. John’s on Sunday afternoon at 12:30 PM ET. The series will then shift to the Cross Insurance Arena as the Mariners will host the Growlers on on Friday, February 18th for 7:15 PM for Star Wars Night and a 1-2-3 Friday. Saturday, February 19th is “Throwback Night” against Trois-Rivieres at 6 PM, featuring $8 tickets, a fanny pack giveaway, the auction of the Bruins inspired throwback jerseys and a postgame open skate. Individual tickets for all games can be purchased online at MarinersOfMaine.com/tickets or by visiting the Trusted Choice Box Office inside the Cross Insurance Arena.