PORTLAND, ME – April 15, 2023 – A variety of Mariners found the score sheet on Saturday night, with seven different players scoring goals and seven registering multiple points, as Maine routed the Norfolk Admirals, 7-2. Opening up “Fan Appreciation Weekend” in front of a crowd of over 4,400 at the Cross Insurance Arena, the Mariners picked up their 41st victory of the season.
The Mariners wasted little time getting the scoring started when Reid Stefanson found the net just :30 into the game. Impressive puck movement from Andrew Peski to Tyler Hinam to Stefanson in the slot would set the tone for the period. About halfway through the period, a brilliant cross-ice pass from Nick Master was buried by Grant Gabriele at 10:33 to make it 2-0. Less than two minutes later, with the Mariners shorthanded Alex Kile ripped a slap shot off the cross bar and in behind Cale Morris to extend the lead to 3-0. Michael DiPietro was also busy in the period, facing 12 Norfolk Admirals shots, and stopping them all.
The lone goal of the second period came from Norfolk’s Danny Katic, when he tipped Darick Louis-Jean’s blue line shot past DiPietro at 12:46. It was another strenuous period for DiPietro, seeing 15 additional Admirals shots. The Mariners carried a 3-1 lead into the third.
The Mariners came out in the third and quickly built up their lead. Matt Filipe got his first Mariners goal at 1:42 when he deflected home Connor Doherty’s shot from the point. Austin Albrecht added on less than a minute later when Nick Master whipped a pass to him on the back door. At 6:11 of the period, the lead was upped to 6-1 on Andrew Peski’s shot from the blue line that caromed off an Admiral shot-blocker. Mathieu Roy got Norfolk’s second goal at 13:32, but that was answered by Alex-Olivier Voyer’s garbage cleanup at 14:22 to bring the game to its 7-2 final score.
DiPietro earned his 19th win with 35 saves, while Morris stopped 22 of 29. The Mariners now await the result of the Newfoundland/Reading game to see if their hunt for home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs will continue to tomorrow.
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