WORCESTER, MA – April 7, 2024 – Despite building a 4-1 lead, the Maine Mariners couldn’t hold on and fell by a final score of 9-5 to the Worcester Railers on Sunday afternoon at DCU Center. Adam Mechura recorded three assists for Maine as the Mariners and Railers played the finale of the VIP Rivalry Cup. Ashton Calder netted five goals for Worcester.

Four combined goals were scored in the opening period, all in a span of 3:35. Bennett Stockdale opened proceedings with his first professional goal at 9:32, cleaning up a long shot from Connor Doherty. Just over a minute later, Ashton Calder found the equalizer for the Railers, on a shot caroming in off the glove of Brad Arvanitis. Just 1:05 after Calder’s goal, Brooklyn Kalmikov put Maine back ahead, and less than two minutes after that, Ethan Ritchie added a third goal, finding the net for the second game in a row.

The Maine lead was extended to 4-1 when Sebastian Vidmar deflected in a power play goal at 3:24 of the second period. From there through the remainder of the period, the Railers rattled off five unanswered goals to flip the game in their favor. A pair from Ashton Calder completed his hat trick, while Reece Newkirk tied the game up with a 4-on-4 goal. Christian Krygier gave the Railers their first lead at 11:11, still skating 4-on-4. A power play goal by Calder at 18:14 of the period gave the Railers a two-goal lead heading to the third.

Early in the third, Tyler Drevitch pulled the Mariners back within a goal, set up by Vidmar at 1:43, cutting the Railers lead to 6-5. Calder’s fifth goal of the game at 4:48 would restore Worcester’s two goal edge. An empty net goal by Brendan Robbins and another from Ryan Verrier 20 seconds later, capped the scoring.

The Mariners remain in a playoff spot, with a point percentage of .507, now even with the Railers, and ahead of the Trois-Rivieres Lions at .500. The Railers and Lions play three times in Quebec next weekend.

The Mariners (31-30-7-0) have four games remaining in the regular season, all against the Adirondack Thunder. They’re home on Wednesday night at 7 PM for “Medieval Night,” and the makeup game from the Oct. 27 postponement. The regular season finale is “Switch Appreciation Night” on Friday at 7:15 PM, also Fan Appreciation Night and “Let’s Talk About it” presented by News Center Maine. Single game tickets for all regular season home games, plus the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs are on sale at MarinersOfMaine.com or at the Hammond Lumber Company Box Office inside the Cross Insurance Arena. More information on ticket packages and group discounts can be found by calling 833-GO-MAINE or by visiting the Mariners front office at 94 Free St. in Portland.