TROIS-RIVIERES, QC – February 5, 2022 – For the second consecutive game, Zach Malatesta scored in overtime to clinch a Mariners victory in Trois-Rivieres. On Saturday night, it came after the Mariners surrendered a three-goal lead in the third period, but regrouped to complete a three-game road sweep of the Lions.
The game began an hour late and took place on the backup rink inside the Colisee Videotron, due to an issue with a patch of ice in the main rink. Rookie forward Tyler Hinam scored his first professional goal on the power play at 12:26 of the opening period to open the scoring. That was the only goal of the opening 20 minutes for either team.
Pat Shea scored on a breakaway two-and-a-half minutes into the second period to double the lead and Conner Bleackley added a goal four minutes later off a 3-on-2 rush to make it 3-0. Trois-Rivieres starting goaltender Philippe Desrosiers was replaced by Tristan Berube after the third Mariners goal. Cam Hillis finally got the Lions on the board at 13:40 against a stingy Jeremy Brodeur. The Mariners took a 3-1 lead into the third.
The Lions pushed hard in the third but fell back down three when Hinam scored his second of the game at 10:55, ripping a shot from the left circle past Berube. Hillis scored his second of the game two minutes later to bring it back to 4-2, setting the stage for the Lions to mount a comeback with their goalie pulled. At 16:36, Alexis D’Aoust was able to bury a rebound after Brodeur stretched his pad to rob Anthony Nellis. The Mariners then went to a four minute power play with just under 2:30 to play, but Shea was quickly called for a trip putting the game back to even man-power. With 1:44 remaining, Shawn St-Amant tied the game, tipping a pass from Charles-David Beaudoin through Brodeur, who got a piece of it but not enough.
The overtime was the fifth between the Mariners and Lions in their 11 meetings. With Maine carrying a power play into OT, Malatesta converted just after the penalty expired, crashing the net to put home a rebound generated by Keltie Jeri-Leon’s initial shot.
Brodeur made 43 saves to earn his 13th win over the season, while Berube was saddled with the loss, stopping 18 of 20. The Mariners have a season high three game road winning streak and a five game point streak, tying a season best.
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