MARINERS DROP WEEKEND FINALE IN NEWFOUNDLAND

ST. JOHN’S, NL – February 5, 2023 – The Mariners rallied back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits, but ultimately fell 5-3 to the Newfoundland Growlers on Sunday afternoon at the Mary Brown’s Centre. Cam Askew, Fedor Gordeev, and Mathew Santos scored goal for the Mariners.

A total of four goals were scored in the opening period, with the home team getting the first two. At 5:57 of the first, defenseman Brennan Kapcheck stepped into a drop pass from Pavel Gogolev and ripped a shot off the crossbar and in behind Michael DiPietro to give Newfoundland a 1-0 lead. The Growlers struck again at 9:12 of the first when Pat Shea fumbled a puck in front of the Mariners net and Derian Plouffe jumped on it and beat DiPietro’s stick side. A little over two minutes later, the Mariners got on the board. Cam Askew went to the net and swept home a rebound from a Reid Stefanson shot to make it 2-1. Before the ensuing faceoff was dropped, Growlers defenseman Simon Kubicek received a roughing penalty, leading to Fedor Gordeev’s game-tying power play goal. Tim Doherty’s shot from the left faceoff circle caromed across to Gordeev on the backside of Dryden McKay, and Gordeev tipped home his seventh of the season.

The fast-paced action continued at the start of the 2nd, with two goals in the first 2:07. Newfoundland’s Nolan Walker got loose in front of DiPietro and backhanded home a power play goal at 1:49, before Mathew Santos slammed home a nifty reverse pass from Cam Askew behind the Growlers net just 18 seconds later. The Growlers went back ahead at 7:04 of the middle frame when Zach Solow lifted one over DiPietro, finishing a quick pass from Keenan Suthers. The Growlers carried the 4-3 lead into the third.

The Mariners mustered just five shots in the third, spending a significant amount of time shorthanded, as they handed Newfoundland three more power play opportunities. Finally at 14:28, Orrin Centazzo buried a loose puck in front of DiPietro to give the Growlers a two-goal lead. A double-minor penalty to Solow gave the Mariners a chance get back in the game, but 5-3 held up as the final score.

DiPietro turned aside 31 of 36, while McKay made 29 stops for his second win of the weekend.