MARINERS COMEBACK SPOILED BY ADMIRALS

PORTLAND, ME – March 10, 2023 – Despite rallying from a multi-goal deficit in the third period, the Mariners dropped a topsy-turvy 6-4 contest to the Norfolk Admirals on Friday night at the Cross Insurance Arena. Grant Gabriele’s late game-tying goal was answered by Norfolk’s Mathieu Roy to break a 4-4 tie.

The Admirals jumped to a 2-0 lead in the opening period with a pair of goals less than two minutes apart. At 14:38, defenseman Josh McDougall beat Francois Brassard with a slap shot from the right wall for his first professional goal. Then, at 16:29, Darick Louis-Jean picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and led a 2-on-1 that was finished by Brian Bowen. The Admirals pelted Brassard with 14 first period shots.

Skating 4-on-4, the Mariners got on the board at 7:04 of the 2nd period when Fedor Gordeev broke in alone and backhanded one past Tomas Vomacka. The Admirals struck back on a shorthanded goal from Bowen at 12:47 and entered the third with a 3-1 lead.

Reid Stefanson scored at 5:07 of the third to make it a 3-2 game, setting off Nico Blachman who took a major penalty, giving Maine a five minute power play. After the Mariners failed to score, Eric Cooley snuck one through Brassard at 11:47 to put Norfolk back up two. Tyler Hinam cashed his second goal in as many games, tipping one through Vomacka’s pads at 12:05 to bring it back to a one-goal game yet again. A late delay of game call against Norfolk gave the Mariners one last power play and with Brassard pulled, Grant Gabriele’s blue line shot found the net at 18:15 to tie the score. Roy beat Brassard less than a minute later for the game-winner. Bowen completed his hat trick with an empty netter at 19:04.

Despite the loss, the Mariners “magic number” to clinch a playoff spot fell to 18 thanks to Adirondack’s loss at Worcester.