THUNDER RALLY OVER MARINERS

GLENS FALLS, NY  – April 13, 2024 – The Maine Mariners let a three-goal lead slip away on Saturday night at Cool Insuring Arena, falling to the Adirondack Thunder by a 4-3 final score. The Mariners’ playoff fate will be decided on Sunday afternoon on the final day of the regular season.

The Mariners dominated the Thunder in the opening 20 minutes, outshooting Adirondack 17-8 and skating away with a 2-0 lead. Midway through the frame, Xander Lamppa flipped a breakaway pass to Bennett Stockdale, who slipped one between the pads of Isaac Poulter to give Maine the 1-0 lead. Later in the period, Alex Kile netted a shorthanded goal, as he raced down the ice and wristed one past Poulter’s glove.

Just 17 seconds into the 2^nd period, Wyllum Deveaux extended the Maine lead to 3-0 when he busted down the right wing and buried his 13^th goal of the season. Halfway through the 2^nd, the Thunder got on the board when Shane Harper got open to the right of Shane Starrett and finished a feed from Tristan Ashbrook across the crease. The Mariners carried a two goal lead into the third.

Adirondack scored three times in the first three minutes of the third to flip the game on its ear. Tristan Ashbrook went to the net and tipped home a Shane Harper pass :57 into the frame to pull the Thunder within a goal. Travis Broughman then tied the game when he surprised Starrett with a dump in from the neutral zone that somehow eluded the Mariners netminder. Nineteen second later, Connor Blake’s first professional goal gave the Thunder the lead, crashing the back door and tipping home a T.J. Friedmann feed.

The Mariners made a valiant effort with Starrett pulled to get the game tied, but could not find the tying goal. Falling to a point percentage of .493, the Mariners can still get into the playoffs with a win tomorrow, combined with a regulation result between the Lions and Railers in Trois-Rivieres.

The Mariners (31-32-8-0) and Thunder wrap up the regular season on Sunday afternoon at 3 PM from the Cool Insuring Arena. If the Mariners qualify for the Kelly Cup playoffs, they would host Games 3, 4, and 5 (if necessary) of the North Division Semifinals April 26-28 at the Cross Insurance Arena. Playoff tickets 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. The Maine Mariners 2023-2024 season is presented by Hannaford to Go.