PORTLAND, ME – January 7, 2024 – Alex Kile scored the game-tying and game-winning goals in the final three minutes of the third period to carry the Maine Mariners to a come-from-behind 4-2 win over the Worcester Railers on Sunday afternoon at the Cross Insurance Arena. Kile hit the 20-goal mark on the season, registering his third consecutive multi-goal game.
Neither team had many scoring opportunities in the first half of the opening period, but Maine's Owen Pederson was able to break the scoreless tie at 11:12. With a Railer defender stumbling in the left circle, Pederson drove to the net and backhanded one past Worcester netminder John Muse for an unassisted goal. It was Pederson’s second goal of the season, and first since October 28th. Brad Arvanitis was sharp in the period, turning aside 11 Railers shots.
The Railers struck twice in the second period to grab a 2-1 lead. Joey Cippolone led a 2-on-1 and snuck one through Arvanitis at 5:02 to knot the game. With the Railers on the power play, Anthony Callin’s zone entry wrister found the net at 12:12 to put Worcester ahead.
The Mariners fought through penalty trouble in the middle stages of the third, as Tyler Drevitch, Cam Askew, and Gabriel Chicoine were all called for minor penalties in a span of just over a minute. The penalty kill held strong to keep the deficit at one. Worcester’s Brendan Robbins was called for hooking with 2:57 remaining in regulation, setting the scene for Kile’s heroics. As the Mariners pulled Arvanitis for a sixth attacker, Kile wristed home the game-tying power play goal from the top of the right circle at 17:09. In the final minute, Kile found the net again with a long shot from the blue line through traffic, putting the Mariners in front, 3-2. Curtis Hall notched an empty net goal as time expired to bring the final score to 4-2.
Arvanitis earned his sixth win of the season, stopping 34 of 36 Railers shots. Muse stopped 25 of 28, suffering his first loss of the season.
The Mariners (11-13-5-0) are home on Wednesday night at 7 PM for “Dad Rock” Night against the Trois-Rivieres Lions. They’ll then head off to Reading to play the first of six straight games against the Royals. Single game tickets for all regular season home games are on sale at MarinersOfMaine.com or at the Ware-Butler Box Office inside the Cross Insurance Arena. More information on ticket packages and group discounts can be found by calling 833-GO-MAINE or visiting the Mariners front office at 94 Free St. in Portland. The 2023-2024 season is presented by Hannaford to Go.
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