PORTLAND, ME – December 30, 2022 – Mitch Fossier already endeared himself to many hockey fans in Maine as a member (and eventually captain) of the UMaine Black Bears from 2016 to 2020. On Friday night at the Cross Insurance Arena, he had his first big Mariners moment, netting a hat trick in a 5-2 win over the Trois-Rivieres Lions. The Mariners improved to 8-2-0 in the month of December with one game to go.
The teams traded goals in the opening frame with Trois-Rivieres’ Karl El-Mir opening the scoring at 7:21. El-Mir worked out from behind the net and beat Francois Brassard to the post with a wraparound to make it 1-0 Lions. The Mariners worked hard to get the game tied and finally capitalized at 17:15 when Alex-Olivier Voyer continued his huge week, one-timing a pass from Tim Doherty in the right circle over the shoulder of Philippe Desrosiers. Voyer had a hat trick on Wednesday and scored in his third straight game.
Fossier was the story of the middle frame, as his power play goal at 11:09 gave the Mariners their first lead of the night. Tim Doherty was the playmaker again, feeding Fossier across the slot for his second helper of the game. Later in the period, Fossier fought Lions defenseman Connor Welsh in a spirited bout. The Mariners led 2-1 heading to the third.
El-Mir struck again for the Lions just 2:43 into the 3rd to tie the game back up, finding a loose puck out of a mad scramble in front of Brassard. Fossier put the Mariners back ahead at 9:20 when he split through the defense and ripped one over Desrosiers’ glove. With a little under five minutes to play, Doherty and Fossier hooked up again, with Doherty finding his former college teammate on the doorstep from below the goal line. Fossier’s backhander beat a sprawling Desrosiers to complete the hat trick. Pat Shea’s empty net goal at 18:31 sealed the game.
Fossier has collected seven points in the last two games, and his hat trick marked the third of the week for the Mariners, as Voyer and Doherty each netted three goals on Wednesday. Brassard made 23 stops to earn his sixth victory of the season.
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