This weekend, the Maine Mariners (10-12-2-0) split a series against the Worcester Railers (10-15-1-2) at the DCU Center in Worcester.
Game One
Despite outshooting the Railers 31-25, the Mariners fell 5-1 on Saturday night. Xander Lamppa scored the lone goal for Maine.
The game began with an early exchange of goals. Worcester’s Brenden Rons opened the scoring just 1:15 in with a shot from the right point, giving the Railers a quick 1-0 lead. Maine responded swiftly, with Lamppa burying the puck past John Muse off Justin Bean’s point shot at 2:47, tying the game.
Just 19 seconds in the second, Worcester’s Anthony Repaci took advantage of a turnover and scored to put Worcester ahead. A pair of penalties on Maine then gave Worcester a 5-on-3 power play. This let Anthony Callin make it 3-1 at 1:19. The Mariners struggled to score for the rest of the period, and Worcester carried its two-goal lead into the third.
The Railers extended their advantage at 6:21 in the third when Matthew Kopperud was able to get past Bischel, making it 4-1. Bischel was pulled with just under three minutes remaining, but Cole Donhauser sealed the win for Worcester with an empty-netter.
Muse was outstanding for the Railers, stopping 30 of 31 shots, while Bischel made 20 saves in the loss for Maine.
Game Two
The Sunday matinee would be quite different for the Maine Mariners, as they secured an 8-5 win over Worcester.
The game started with a fast pace and intense physicality. The Mariners drew first blood at 14:08 when Chase Zieky scored, assisted by Michael Underwood and Christian Berger. However, the Railers responded just over four minutes later. At 18:17, Matias Rajaniemi scored for Worcester, with assists from Ryan Dickinson and Callin, to tie the game 1-1.
The Mariners exploded for four goals in the second. The action began early as Owen Pederson scored at 4:57, assisted by Kalmikov and Berger. Just seven seconds later, at 6:04, Kalmikov scored his own goal, assisted by Justin Bean and Massicotte, giving the Mariners a 3-1 advantage.
Less than a minute after that, at 6:57, Jermain extended the Mariners’ lead to 4-1, with assists from Bean and Massicotte. But the Railers didn’t back down. At 7:24, Anthony Callin scored for Worcester, assisted by Matthew Kopperud and Riley Piercey, bringing the game to 4-2.
Maine quickly restored their three-goal advantage when Evan Vierling scored at 10:16, with help from Christian Sarlo and Michael Underwood. The Railers again fought back later, with Callin netting his second goal at 11:57, assisted by Piercey and Anthony Repaci. This would make it 5-3 heading into the third period.
The final period saw more back-and-forth scoring, but the Mariners held firm. Worcester started the period strong with a goal from Jordan Kaplan at 0:51, assisted by Anthony Repaci and Griffin Loughran. However, the Mariners quickly regained their two-goal lead when Pederson scored his second of the game at 5:33, assisted by Jermain and Sheehy.
At 7:22, Matthew Philip added another for Maine, assisted by Lamppa, extending their lead to 7-4. Worcester responded at 17:03 with a goal from Riley Ginnell, assisted by Mason Klee and Lincoln Hatten.
The Mariners sealed the win with a final goal from Philip at 19:19, assisted by Justin Bean and Lamppa. This would secure their victory.
Penalties
Heavy penalty activity plagued the matchup. A notable penalty occurred in the second when Johnson and Connor Welsh went to the box for fighting at 1:04. Worcester’s Griffin Loughran received a high-sticking minor and misconduct penalty at 7:51. Bean took a penalty for slashing early in the third period.
Despite the numerous penalties, both teams managed to generate offense, though it was the Mariners’ discipline that ultimately helped them maintain their lead and close out the game.
The Maine Mariner’s explosive offense and balanced team play were on full display in this high-scoring contest. Despite Worcester’s efforts to fight back, the Mariners’ quick response to each of the Railers’ goals ensured they never relinquished their lead. With key contributions from players like Pederson, Philip, and Berger, the Mariners held off the Railers in an entertaining, physical, and hard-fought battle.
The Mariners now have the week off for the holidays. They will return to Portland for a matchup against the Adirondack Thunder before heading back on the road. The game on the 28th at the Cross Insurance Arena is a pajama party, and fans are encouraged to dress up.
Discover more from Inside The Rink
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
