GROWLERS FLIP SCRIPT ON MARINERS TO SPLIT WEEKEND

PORTLAND, ME – October 26, 2019 – 5-2 has been the score of choice so far in Mariners games in 2019-20. Four of their seven games have ended with that score, and unfortunately they were on the wrong on Saturday night at home against the Newfoundland Growlers, one night after a 5-2 win.

Newfoundland got things going right around the halfway point of the first period. A the 9:25 mark, Growlers forward Marcus Power sent the puck on net from below the circle. It rebounded to Aaron Luchuk who was below the goal line and maneuvered it to bounce off the pads of mariners goaltender Connor LaCouvee and into the back of the net to make it a 1-0 game. Maine answered the goal with one of their own when they rushed the zone with a four on one. Lewis Zerter-Gossage slid the puck over to Terrence Wallin who took a wrist shot that trickled into the back of the net with just 1:35 to go in the first period, making it a 1-1 game. LaCouvee padded aside 12 of the 13 shots that he faced in the first period.

The tie was snapped with 10:35 left in the second. Colt Conrad took at wrist shot from the top of the circle and beat LaCouvee on the power play making it a 2-1 Growlers lead, assists coming from Joseph Duszak and Aaron Luchuk – who each finished the night with three points. Just three and half minutes later, Duszak potted a goal of his own with a shot from the top of the circle fed over from Michael Kapla and Reid Jackman. The second period ended with the Growlers leading 3-1.

Maine found themselves down only one with 13:41 remaining in the thurd period when Terrence Wallin netted his second of the game and third in two days. Ryan Dmowski threw a hard shot on net that both Dillan Fox and Wallin tipped up and over the shoulder of Newfoundland’s goaltender, Maksim Zhukov. Newfoundland gained momentum back however, when Evan Neugold scored the Growlers’ fourth goal of the evening into the net from the point through traffic at 10:09. With just 40 seconds remaining in the game, Riley Woods buried an empty net goal to finalize the score sheet.

Newfoundland outshot the Mariners tonight 36-26. LaCouvee stopped 31 of the 34 to suffer the loss. Zhukov made 24 stops to earn his third win.

The Mariners don’t play again until next Saturday when Newfoundland returns for Marvel Super Hero Night at 6:00 PM. The Mariners will wear The Hulk specialty jerseys and there will also be a postgame skate with the team. It’s also a “Family Four Pack” game: families of four can get four tickets, four food and drink vouchers, and four Mariners can koozies for as low as $80. Family four packs must be purchased in advance. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to MarinersOfMaine.com, call 833-GO-MAINE, or visit the Mariners front office at 94 Free St. in Portland.