MARINERS COME UP SHORT IN HIGH-SCORING AFFAIR WITH NEWFOUNDLAND

PORTLAND, ME – November 26, 2022 – The Mariners had multiple leads, but Newfoundland’s high-flying forward line of Zach O’Brien, Orrin Centazzo, and Zach Solow were too much to handle as the Growlers claimed a wild 9-6 victory on Saturday night at the Cross Insurance Arena. For the Mariners, Pat Shea scored twice, including a pair of go-ahead goals.

The opening period saw five combined goals, all in a span of 6:40. Shea got it started at 11:43 when his scoring chance in front of Dryden McKay caromed off the pad of McKay, off the leg of defenseman James Melindy, and into the net. At 13:07, the Mariners doubled the lead on a coast-to-coast effort from defenseman Grant Gabriele who cut across the slot and beat McKay’s stick side with a nifty backhand. The Growlers instantly got on the board after the Gabriele goal when Pavel Gogolev scooped up a rebound and ripped one under the crossbar just 15 seconds later. With a two-man advantage, Newfoundland drew even at the 16:00 mark as Zach Solow ripped home a wrister past the glove of Michael DiPietro. Before the period ended, Mariners defenseman Nate Kallen trailed Alex-Olivier Voyer’s zone entry and ripped home his second goal of the season at 18:23 to give Maine a 3-2 lead after one.

The story of the middle frame was a pair of early Maine goals and two by the Growlers toward the end. The Mariners opened a 5-2 lead with goals from Gabriel Chicoine and Curtis Hall in the first 2:21 of the period. Chicoine finished a nice 2-on-1 feed from Nick Master and Hall wristed a perfect shot to beat McKay’s glove. The game settled into its 5-2 score until an Orrin Centazzo power play marker at 14:54 brought the Growlers back to within two. Less than a minute later, Growler forward Nolan Walker got behind the Mariners defense and beat DiPietro’s glove to make it 5-4, which was the score after two.

The Growlers instantly tied the game up with Centazzo’s second goal of the night just 28 seconds into the third, as Zach O’Brien found him from behind the night for one of his four assists in the game. Maine briefly went back ahead at 5:10 on Shea’s second of the game, set up with a rink wide pass from Chicoine. Once again, the Growlers quickly responded, when defenseman Michael Joyaux came down the right side and caught DiPietro cheating off the post. After things got chippy midway through, the Mariners were granted a power play to try and take the lead back. But Newfoundland had other ideas, and converted a shorthanded 2-on-1, with Brett Budgell feeding Derian Plouffe for Newfoundland’s first lead at 10:48. At 12:43, Solow added another when he danced through the Mariners defense and made it 8-6. Centazzo’s empty netter at 17:40 completed his hat trick.

O’Brien and Solow finished with four points each in addition to Centazzo’s hat trick. Dryden McKay’s 21 stops earned him the victory while Michael DiPietro stopped 31 of 39. Newfoundland snapped a three game losing streak with its win.

The Mariners (6-9-1-0) play “3 in 3” next weekend with the Adirondack Thunder, beginning Friday and Saturday night in Glens Falls, NY. They return home on Sunday, December 4th at 3 PM for the annual “Teddy Bear Toss,” presented by Bath Savings. Fans are invited to throw stuffed animal donations onto the ice after the Mariners first goal, with proceeds going to Marine Toys for Tots and the Holden Police Department. There will also be a postgame skate with Mariners players and Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

Individual game tickets can be purchased online, at the Ware-Butler Box Office inside the Cross Insurance Arena, or by calling 207-775-3458. Family Four Packs are available for all Saturday and Sunday games and can be purchased here. Season-long ticket plans are also still available. More information on ticketing options is available by calling 833-GO-MAINE, emailing mariners-sales@comcastspectacor.com, or by visiting MarinersOfMaine.com.