PORTLAND, Maine- Michael McNicholas scored 1:21 into overtime on Saturday night, as the Maine Mariners defeated the Adirondack Thunder 3-2 in a East Coast Hockey League game played at the Cross Insurance Arena.
Maine (24-19-1) controlled play from the start with an early advantage on shots 5-1. Dillan Fox got the scoring started when he scooped up a loose rebound that Adirondack goalie Evan Cormier couldn’t handle, and backhanded it past the fallen goalie on the powerplay at 5:05 to make it 1-0. The Mariners had a two man advantage powerplay at the end of the period but couldn’t convert. Colby Sissons would even things up 1-1 for the Thunder on a powerplay with a shot that Maine goalie Francois Broussard was screened on from the point at 5:39 of the second period.
The Mariners took the lead again early in the third period at 2:09. Josh Couturier kept the puck in at the Adirondack blue line and moved right to left cutting to the left faceoff circle when he let go a wrister that beat Cormier cleanly to make it 2-1. It was the first goal of the season for Couturier. The Thunder (New Jersey Devils) didn’t waste any time in tying the score again just 1:30 later, when Mike Szmutala let go of a shot from just inside the left faceoff circle that looked to hit something and deflect past Broussard at 3:39. Maine had a great chance to take the lead back with 4:30 left in the game. A 2 on 1 breakout led to a shot by Sean Day that looked like it had beaten Cormier, but the goalkeeper dove back towards the crease to cover it. The Mariners had another flurry off the faceoff for another 15 seconds but couldn’t find the net and the game went to overtime.
In the 3 on 3 overtime Day, Greg Chase, and McNicholas led a 3 on 2 breakout up the ice. Day found McNicholas near the right faceoff dot, and McNicholas one timed it past a fallen Cormier into the half empty cage to end the game. The Mariners finish off a big week against the Thunder, defeating them twice at Adirondack on Wednesday and Friday before the win Saturday night sweeping all three games.
The Adirondack Thunder win possession of the start of the second period faceoff in a ECHL game against the Maine Mariners in Portland on Saturday, February 1, 2020. The Mariners won in overtime 3-2. Photo by Chris Lessner
Broussard ended with 25 saves in the Maine win. Cormier stopped 19 in the loss for 18-21-5 Adirondack. Ryan Culkin, Chase, Zach Tolkinen, Eddie Matsushima, Morgan Adams-Moisan, and Day all had assists on the night for the Mariners. Maine is a double A minor league affiliate of the NHL parent club the New York Rangers, and return to action when they host the Worcester Railers on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
