BLOOMINGTON, IL – February 21, 2026 – The Maine Mariners, proud affiliates of the NHL's Boston Bruins and AHL's Providence Bruins, picked up their second win in as many nights over the Bloomington Bison, with a 4-3 victory on Saturday night at Grossinger Motors Arena. University of New England alumnus Billy Girard stopped 22 of 25 shots to win his ECHL debut, the Mariners' fourth straight victory overall.
The Mariners fourth line produced the opening tally of the game at 14:16 of the first, when Liam Gorman unleashed a wrister from the top of the right circle, helped out by a Ty Cheveldayoff screen. Girard shut down Bloomington's Lou-Felix Denis on a shorthanded breakaway as time expired, keeping Maine up 1-0 at the end of one.
It was a large shot margin in favor of Maine in the second period, 21-8 and Mitch Deelstra doubled the lead with a wrister down the right side at 3:18 of the frame. Bloomington's Mikael Robidoux cut the deficit back to one when he one-timed home a Parker Gavlas pass off a 3-on-2 rush at 12:00. The Mariners carried a 2-1 lead into the third.
The Bison tied it quickly in the third when Mark Kaleinikovas stepped into a slap shot from the left circle at 1:22, bringing the game back even. Brookyln Kalmikov would break the tie at 6:15, giving Maine a 3-2 lead when his long wrister beat Callum Tung through traffic. A power play goal by Max Andreev just over a minute later restored the two-goal Maine lead. Gavlas brought the Bison back within one at 14:19, but that's as close as the Bison would get.
Maine outshot Bloomington 49-25 in the game, improving to 4-1-0 on their eight-game road trip.
The Mariners (25-15-5-2) go for the road sweep of the Bison with a 5 PM ET (4 PM CT) puck drop on Sunday afternoon in Bloomington. They return home next Sunday, March 1st to take on the Trois-Rivieres Lions at 3 PM, for "First Responders Night," presented by WGME. Single game tickets for all home games are available at MarinersOfMaine.com or at the Hammond Lumber Company Box Office inside the Cross Insurance Arena. For more information on ticket packages and group discounts, fans can call 833-GO-MAINE, go to MarinersOfMaine.com, or visit the Mariners front office at 94 Free Street in Portland.
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