MARINERS BLANK STINGRAYS FOR FIRST SHUTOUT WIN OF SEASON

PORTLAND, ME – March 20, 2022 – Cam Askew and Nick Master each registered three points while Callum Booth stopped 26 shots in a 4-0 Mariners shutout victory over the South Carolina Stingrays on Sunday afternoon at the Cross Insurance Arena. Pascal Laberge also notched two assists, returning from injury in his first game in almost two months.

Having been shut out the previous two nights, it took only four minutes for the Mariners to break their scoring drought. An individual effort by Conner Bleackley produced the opening goal as he took the puck down the right wing and cut across the goal crease, backhanding one past Stingrays netminder Hunter Shepard. At 13:28 of the period, Connor Doherty sprung Cam Askew for a break down the middle of the offensive zone, and Askew went backhand to forehand to slide it home and double the Mariners lead. Less than two minutes later, Askew would held set up a power play goal by Nick Master to make it 3-0. Pascal Laberge, playing in his first game since January 30th, also assisted.

Askew would score the lone goal of the second period, with the Mariners capitalizing on the power play again. Master and Laberge again assisted, with Askew on the doorstep to deflect Master’s pass past Shepard.

Neither team scored in the third, but Booth made nine stops to complete the fourth shutout of his ECHL career and the first for the Mariners in 2021-22. Shepard made 40 stops on 44 Mariners shots – Maine’s second highest shot total of the season.