LAMBERT SCORES TWICE AS MARINERS EARN POINT IN WORCESTER

WORCESTER, MA – December 27, 2023 – In a game in which both teams came from behind, the Worcester Railers topped the Maine Mariners 5-4 in overtime on Wednesday night at DCU Center. Jimmy Lambert led the Mariners offense with two goals and an assist against his former team.

For the fourth time in the last five games, the Mariners got the first goal of the game. Reid Stefanson, from the left wing corner, spotted Jimmy Lambert in front of Henrik Tikkanen, and Lambert tipped his pass through the Railers netminder at 3:40 to open the scoring. Worcester tied things up at 5:51 when Anthony Repaci batted his own rebound out of the air with a stick just below the cross bar. Using the power play, the Mariners jumped back ahead at 11:30 of the first when Lambert sprung Kile in alone and Kile beat Tikkanen’s stick side, scoring for his fourth consecutive game.

Worcester’s Ashton Calder scored a pair of goals in the 2^nd period to tie the game and then give the Railers the lead. Just 31 seconds into the period, Calder ripped off a shot from the bottom of the left circle directly off a Railers faceoff win to make it 2-2. Calder’s second goal came shorthanded at 8:38, as he got behind the Mariners defense and broke in alone on Brad Arvanitis, beating his pad with a quick deke. The Railers would score their fourth unanswered goal on the power play at 14:15 as Daylan Kuefler jammed one in from the goal line. The Mariners closed the gap back to one with Lambert’s second of the game, coming on the power play as well at 15:33. Lambert ripped off a beautiful wrister from the left circle to slice the Railers lead to 4-3 after two.

The Mariners drew even at 8:09 of the third when Reid Stefanson finished a nice set up from Brooklyn Kalmikov and Alex Sheehy, tying the game at four. That was the only goal of the third, as the game proceeded to overtime. At 4:34 of OT, after three big saves by Arvanitis, Quin Ryan was able to find the game winner with a one-timer from the far circle. Arvanitis made 38 saves in the game as the Mariners were outshot 43-23.

The Mariners (9-12-3-0) return home this weekend for a pair of games on Friday and Saturday at the Cross Insurance Arena. Friday is a 1 PM start time against Adirondack and it’s a “Kids Day” matinee, as well as “Reading Day.” An open skate with the players will follow the game. Saturday night is a “Carnival on the Concourse” – a 6 PM face off against the Trois-Rivieres Lions, featuring face painters, magicians, balloon artists, and more. 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.