PORTLAND, ME – September 12, 2024 – The Maine Mariners announced on Thursday that they will host a preseason game at Sidney J. Watson Arena at Bowdoin College on Friday, October 11th against the Worcester Railers. The Mariners and Railers will play a home-and-home exhibition series to kick off the fourth season of the VIP Rivalry Cup, presented by VIP Tires & Service.
Game time is set for 7 PM on October 11th with free admission and doors opening at 6 PM. Located in Brunswick, ME, Sidney J. Watson Arena is the home of the Bowdoin Polar Bears NCAA DIII Program. The Polar Bears are coached by Ben Guite, who was the head coach for the Mariners in the 2021-22 season.
The Mariners and Railers have met in preseason action every season since the Mariners joined the ECHL in 2018. The Mariners have previously hosted exhibition contests in Exeter, New Hampshire as well as Lewiston and Auburn, Maine.
The two teams will also play on Saturday, October 12th, with the Railers hosting. Game time is 7 PM at the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center. A radio broadcast of both preseason games will be available at MarinersOfMaine.com/listen or on the Mixlr App.
The VIP Rivalry Cup enters its fourth season, pitting the New England rivals in a head-to-head season series. Last season, the Railers captured the cup by winning six of the ten meetings. The Mariners took home the trophy in 2022-23. This regular season, the teams will face off ten times once again, with five matchups in each city. Their first regular season meeting comes on Sunday, October 27th in Portland.
VIP Tires & Service, a Quirk family-owned business for 97 years based in Auburn, Maine, operates 70 locations throughout Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut providing retail and wholesale tires and installation, and professional automotive services. VIP is the place where New Englanders turn for everything they need to keep their vehicles running at peak performance. For more information, visit: www.vipauto.com.
The regular season begins October 18th with the Home Opener against the Wheeling Nailers at 7:15 PM, presented by Evergreen Credit Union. Full and half season packages plus 12-game plans, 10-ticket flex plans, and discounted group tickets are on sale now by calling 833-GO-MAINE or visiting the Mariners front office at 94 Free St. in Portland. Fans can also fill out an inquiry form for any ticket package at MarinersOfMaine.com, and a Mariners staff member will reach out. Single game tickets will be available beginning September 18th.
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