BRODEUR, SANTOS LEAD MARINERS TO GRITTY WIN OVER ORLANDO

PORTLAND, ME – January 22, 2022 – Mathew Santos scored twice, while Jeremy Brodeur made 35 saves, and the Mariners gritted out a 3-1 win over the Orlando Solar Bears on Saturday night at the Cross Insurance Arena. After building a 2-0 lead, the Mariners held off Orlando’s comeback attempt, and nursed a 2-1 lead into the third before Santos’ empty netter put the game away.

The Mariners jumped on top midway through the first on a power play goal by Nick Master. Cam Askew came down the right side and spotted Master in the slot, who quickly one-timed it past Orlando goalie Amir Miftakhov, with Nate Kallen picking up a secondary assist on the play. On the Mariners side, Brodeur stopped all 10 Orlando shots and Maine led 1-0 after one.

Early in the second period, Mathew Santos doubled the Mariners lead with a wrister from the right-wing circle off a drop pass from Pat Shea. It remained 2-0 until the 13:53 of the period when a Mariners defensive mistake allowed Orlando’s Tyler Bird to break in alone and slide a shot between through five hole of Brodeur and cut the deficit back to one goal after two.

The score stuck at 2-1 through the most of third period as Brodeur made several key saves along the way. Finally, Orlando pulled Miftakhov with just under two minutes remaining and Santos nailed a long empty net attempt from inside the Mariners defensive zone. Brodeur earned his 10th win of the season, picking up a victory in his fifth straight start. Miftakhov turned aside 34 in the losing effort as the Solar Bears saw their five game road winning streak snapped.