PORTLAND, ME – February 17, 2024 – For the second night in a row, the Norfolk Admirals overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Maine Mariners at the Cross Insurance Arena. Saturday’s final was 4-2 as the Admirals netted four unanswered goals in the second and third periods.
Dressed as the Maine Wild Blueberries in a nod to the 2017 team-naming contest, the Mariners got on the board first. Curtis Hall finished some good work by his linemates Brooklyn Kalmikov and Austin Albrecht, and ripped home a wrister from the left circle to open the scoring at 9:30 of the first period. Hall’s goal was the only scoring of the opening frame
During 4-on-4 early in the 2nd period, Maine doubled their lead when defenseman Zach Malatesta zipped home his first goal of the season at 6:46, making it a 2-0 game, and scoring for his second consecutive Wild Blueberries Night. About four minutes later, the Admirals broke through, when their leading scorer Danny Katic got loose on a breakaway, and slipped a backhand between the pads of Brad Arvanitis at 10:42. Maine carried a 2-1 lead into the third.
Admirals forward Carson Golder took over in the third period, netting the tying goal at 3:32, before setting up the eventual game-winner from Stepan Timofeyev at 14:59. Golder then capped off his night with an empty netter at 19:49. Golder, Timofeyev, and Katic have all scored in each of the first two games of the weekend.
Norfolk’s Oskari Salminen picked up the victory in his ECHL debut, stopping 24 of 26 shots. Brad Arvanitis, returning from injury, suffered the loss as he stopped 35 of 38. The Mariners achieved their fifth sellout of the season as 5,469 fans witnessed the third ever Wild Blueberries Night.
The Mariners (19-22-5-0) wrap up the Three Dollar Deweys “Threekend” tomorrow afternoon with a 3:00 PM puck drop against Norfolk. It’s Pride Night, including a postgame open skate. 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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