PORTLAND- The Maine Mariners returned home to the Cross Insurance Arena on Monday night, and got some momentum in the North Division Finals against the Wheeling Nailers, scoring the first five goals to secure a 6-3 victory in Game 3 to cut their best of seven series deficit to 2-1 with the next two games also on home ice.
Maine got things rolling in the first period and didn’t look back, putting three into the back of the net in the opening 20 minutes. The powerplay was working well for the Mariners, and on the first extra man opportunity of the game on a penalty called against former Maine Black Bear David Breazeale, Robert Cronin scored at 6:58 on a nice setup from Ben Allison who was playing in his first career professional playoff game. Andrew Neilsen also got a secondary assist. Zachary Massicotte had the second tally on a deflection at 9:40, and then just 10 seconds after a penalty on Allison expired he was able to get behind the defense on a pass from Max Andreev and scored on a breakaway to make it 3-0 with his first professional playoff goal at 12:55. Brooklyn Kalmikov and Antonio Venuto both on the powerplay made it 5-0 in the second period ending the night for Wheeling netminder Taylor Gauthier, who allowed the five goals on 18 shots. He only gave up four goals total in the wins for the Nailers in Games 1 and 2. Logan Pietila put Wheeling on the board in the second, before Andreev got the final goal for Maine at 7:05 of the third with their third powerplay marker of the night. Zach Urdahl shorthanded and Blake Bennett on a powerplay 3:28 apart in the latter half of the third period for the Nailers ended the scoring. Breazeale had an assist on the Urdahl goal, while another former Maine Black Bear in forward Nolan Renwick was held off the scoresheet in the loss. Luke Cavallin had 36 saves in net for the Mariners, while Allison had a three point night (one goal, two assists). Kalmikov and Andreev both had one goal and one assist, while Jacob Hudson contributed two assists. Maine went 4-6 on the powerplay, while Wheeling was 1-8. The victory, which is their first in the second round of a playoff series in franchise history, now guarantees the Mariners will get all three of their home games in Portland beginning with Game 4 set for Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Game 5 will be Wednesday also at 7.
