WORCESTER, MA – April 5, 2023 – For the fourth time in the last two weeks, the Mariners rallied back from a multi-goal deficit, defeating the Worcester Railers, 4-2 on Wednesday night at DCU Center. They scored three goals in a span of 2:45 in the second period to flip the game and deliver a devastating blow to the Railers playoff hopes.
Following a scoreless opening period, Worcester netted a pair of power play goals to grab a 2-0 lead in the first half of the middle frame. Nolan Vesey backhanded a rebound around the pad of Michael DiPietro at 1:02 to open the scoring. At 9:10, Anthony Repaci finished a cross-ice pass from Trevor Cosgrove to double the Railer lead.
The Mariners began their comeback at 10:16 of the second period, when Austin Albrecht was rewarded on a strong forechecking effort, finishing a feed from Grant Gabriele across the slot. A minute-and-a-half later, the game was tied, when Tyler Hinam crashed to the back door and tipped home a pass from Carter Johnson. On the play, Cameron Morton picked up his first professional point with the secondary assist. At 13:01, Albrecht and Hinam helped set up Reid Stefanson to put the Mariners ahead.
Leading 3-2 in the third, the Mariners weathered a Worcester power play and added an insurance tally at 15:28 when Alex-Olivier Voyer and Mitch Fossier connected to set up Tim Doherty and give them a 4-2 lead. Michael DiPietro turned aside 35 of 37 Railers shots, including all 15 in the third to earn his 17th win.
With the win, the Mariners pulled within one point of the second-place Reading Royals. Worcester’s loss kept the Adirondack Thunder within a point of the fourth and final playoff spot, picking up a third game in hand.
The Mariners (39-25-2-1) will play their final road game of the regular season on Friday night in Glens Falls, NY at 7 PM against Adirondack. They return to Portland to begin a four-game season-ending homestand on Easter Sunday, April 9th at 3 PM against Adirondack. The first 1,000 fans will receive a Beacon bobblehead, presented by PetMedic and it’s the final postgame open skate of the season.
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