MARINERS CLAIM GAME THREE WITH DRAMATIC OVERTIME WIN

PORTLAND, ME – April 24, 2023 – Facing the prospect of falling behind three games to zero in the North Division Semifinals, the Maine Mariners pulled off a dramatic overtime victory on Monday night at the Cross Insurance Arena, getting themselves back in the series. Alex-Olivier Voyer’s power play goal at 14:58 of the first sudden death session, capped a 4-3 Game 3 win.

The Mariners fell behind early after a delay of game penalty by Grant Gabriele gave Reading a 5-on-3 power play. Evan Barratt one-timed a Charlie Gerard feed past Francois Brassard at 4:37 to give the visitors the lead. Mariners defenseman Fedor Gordeev got the game tied at 8:46 when he took a pass from Jacob Wilson and slid a backhander from the slot between the pads of Pat Nagle. Exactly six minutes later, the Mariners took their first lead of the series, when Nick Master picked off a Royals outlet pass, took it wide, and threw it off a Reading defender in front. Master, playing in his first game of the series, had Maine up 2-1 after 20 minutes.

The game remained 2-1 into the third period after neither team could find the net in the middle frame. While a delayed penalty was pending against the Mariners, Reading’s Zayde Wisdom got free and backhanded a shot under the cross bar at 1:35 of the third to tie the game at two. The goal seemed to turn the momentum of the game, with the Royals starting to take over, and at 9:24, Max Newton’s wrister from the left circle pinged the post and found its way behind Brassard to give Reading a 3-2 lead. The referees initially waved the goal off, but reversed the call upon video review. With a little over two minutes to play, the Mariners pulled Brassard, getting a sixth attacker on the ice. Carter Johnson got to the puck on the right wall and threw it toward the net, glancing off of Tim Doherty and in behind Nagle to tie the game at three and force overtime.

With the Mariners controlling play in the OT period, Newton threw the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty with 6:05 remaining, putting Maine on the power play. Voyer was set up on a nifty passing play from Doherty to Curtis Hall, to Voyer at the left wing faceoff circle, who ripped one past a sprawling Nagle for the game-winner. The goal came on the Mariners’ 50th shot of the night.

Brassard made 36 saves on 39 Reading shots while Nagle stopped 46 of the 50 that came his way. The Mariners have guaranteed at least two more home games in the series, now solidifying a Game 5 on Wednesday in addition to Tuesday’s Game 4. The Royals still lead the best-of-seven series, two games to one.