PORTLAND, ME – November 11, 2023 – A late goal by Austin Albrecht was all the Maine Mariners offense could muster on a Saturday night in a 4-1 loss to the Adirondack Thunder at the Cross Insurance Arena. A pair of goals by the Thunder in each of the first two periods put the game out of reach.
A two goal spurt by the Thunder midway through the opening period staked the visitors to a 2-0 lead. At 11:31 of the first, Jack Jeffers led a 2-on-1 with and made a toe drag pass to set up Patrick Grasso for the first goal of the night. Just 35 seconds later, Ryan Smith doubled the Thunder lead when he jumped on a neutral zone turnover and ripped a shot just inside the post past Maine netminder Brad Arvanitis.
Adirondack tacked on another one early in the 2nd, when Yushiroh Hirano tossed the puck off the skate of Jeffers and into an open net. At 4:37 of the middle frame, Tristan Ashbrook stretched the lead to 4-0 when he jumped down the right wing and beat the glove of Arvanitis for an unassisted goal.
With 5:25 left in regulation, Austin Albrecht backhanded home a rebound off the pad of Jeremy Brodeur to break the shutout bid of the former Mariners goalie. Brodeur would turn aside 32 of 33 to earn the win while Arvanitis stopped 29 of 33 for Maine.
A crowd of 5,262 turned out for Military Appreciation Night, the Mariners’ second sellout in three home games.
The Mariners (2-6-0) head on the road next weekend to Trois-Rivieres and Worcester, before returning home on November 24th and 25th to host the Reading Royals. Single game tickets for all regular season home games are on sale at MarinersOfMaine.com or at the Ware-Butler Box Office inside the Cross Insurance Arena. More information on ticket packages and group discounts can be found by calling 833-GO-MAINE or visiting the Mariners front office at 94 Free St. in Portland. The 2023-2024 season is presented by Hannaford to Go.