The Maine Mariners had a busy weekend, hosting three games against the Reading Royals. Last weekend, the Mariners played three games in Reading, where they were able to leave with two wins. This weekend, the Mariners didn’t fair quite as well.
Even though the Mariners won the two previous games against Reading, they did not have the same outcome Friday night in Portland. The Mariners fell 5-2 against the Royals in the first game of a three-game weekend series. Although the Royals were the only ones who received a penalty in the first, they also scored two goals, one by Yvan Mongo and another by Tag Bertuzzi. Between these two goals, Maine’s all-star Gabriel Chicoine was able to get one through Royals goalie Parker Gahagen. This goal was only one minute and four seconds after the Royals’ first goal. The second period of the game was not one of much excitement. A little over halfway into the period, Mariners’ Chase Zieky received a minor for slashing. The only goal scored this period was from the Royals at 13:35 by Joseph Nardi. He was able to get the puck past Kyle Keyser who was recently sent down from the Providence Bruins. The third period of play made up for the lack of action in the second. There were a total of three goals and seven penalties. Once again, the Royals scored two goals, one by Devon Paliani and the other by Matt Brown. Repetitive of the first period, Gabriel Chicoine responded to the Royals’ first goal of the third only 54 seconds after. As for penalties in the third, the high tally is due to a scuffle near the end of the game. At 17:37, Royals’ Sean Leonard received a minor for roughing. At 18:39, both the Royals and the Mariners received two penalties. Mariners player Nathan Noel received ten minutes for continuing the
Unfortunately for the Mariners, Saturday night would not end with a different outcome. The Royals’ Parker Gahagen was in net for the second night in a row, while Mariners’ Shane Starrett returned to the net after being out for quite some time due to injury. Only 33 seconds into the first period of the game, the Royals were on the board with a goal from Tag Bertuzzi. The only other goal of the first was also from the Royals, this time Yvan Mongo. This game was not without animosity, which was apparent from the first period. At the end of the first, Mariners player Ethan Ritchie and Royals player Jake Bricknell received matching 10-minute penalties for continuing altercation. Only 10 seconds into the second period, Mariners’ Nathan Noel received a penalty for charging. The Royals capitalized on this and scored a power-play goal at 1:38 in the period, scored by Devon Paliani. A few minutes later, at 3:25 in the second, Royals’ player Kenny Johnson was called for a cross-checking penalty. A short four seconds into the power-play, Mariners’ Cam Askew scored the first and only goal of the night for Maine. At 9:23 in the second, Mariners’ Tyler Drevitch and Royals’ Devon Paliani received matching penalties for roughing. During the final period of the game, the Royals were able to get two more by Starrett, these scored by Ryan Chyzowski and Shane Stellar. Near the game’s conclusion, three penalties were called at 19:43. Royal’s Matt Brown was called for roughing, and Mariner’s Gabe Guertler received a double minor for roughing and slashing.
After Saturday night, the Mariners dipped back into 7th place in the North Division. However, an OT win against Reading on Sunday allowed for them to move back up to 6th. Tensions only rose more in the 6th consecutive game against the two teams. This is apparent from the penalties just in the first. At 13:03, Mariners’ Gabe Guertler was called for roughing. At the end of the period, three more penalties were called, one against the Mariners and two against the Royals. Mariners’ Zach Malatesta and Royals’ Sean Leonard both received a ten-minute penalty for continuing the altercation.
The Mariners head to Trois-Rivières this Friday for their next game against the Lions before they return to Portland to play the Newfoundland Growlers on Saturday and Sunday. The Lions currently rank one spot above Maine in the North Division at #5, and the Growlers are one spot above that at #4.
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