GLENS FALLS, NY – April 2, 2022 – The Mariners settled for one of two possible points in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Adirondack Thunder on Saturday night at the Cool Insuring Arena. The Mariners let a pair of third period leads slip away despite another big performance from Mathew Santos.
After being kept off the board over 60 minutes on Friday night, it took the Thunder just 1:08 to find the net on Saturday. Blake Thompson’s slap shot from the right point found its way through traffic and behind Jeremy Brodeur for the early Thunder lead. The Mariners went to the power play soon after and quickly tied it up. Mathew Santos’ shot from the right circle caromed off the pad of goaltender Brandon Kasel and to Keltie Jeri-Leon who pounced on it and knotted the score at 4:32. The rest of the period was dominated by the Mariners, who outshot the Thunder 16-7 in the period.
The Mariners jumped into the lead at 8:58 of the middle frame, and did so in milestone fashion, using the power play again. Cam Askew got his 100th career ECHL point when he camp on top of the crease and tipped home a Nick Master feed from the left circle to make it 2-1 Maine. Santos continued his roll with the secondary assist and the Mariners carried a 2-1 lead into the third.
The Thunder tied the game less than a minute into the third when Sebastian Vidmar banged home a second change opportunity between the pads of Brodeur. Vidmar has scored nine goals against the Mariners alone this season. The Maine power play connected for a third time at 9:15 when Santos ripped a wrister from the right circle past Kasel, helped by an Askew screen, and set up by Zach Malatesta and Nick Master. Adirondack’s power play would answer back however at 14:11 when Colin Long deflected Shane Harper’s pass between Brodeur’s pads moments after Brodeur had made a spectacular glove save on Vidmar.
A thrilling 3-on-3 overtime, full of chances for both teams could not decide a winner and the Mariners participated in their fourth shootout of the season. The first two Thunder shooters, Harper and Tyler Irvine beat Brodeur up top, while Askew kept the Mariners alive by scoring in the second round. Kasel kicked out Santos’ shot to clinch the win for Adirondack.
Due to losses by Trois-Rivieres and Worcester, the Mariners jumped over the Lions and into a third place tie with the Railers. Both Maine and Worcester sit with a .508 PT%, while Trois-Rivieres is at .500.
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