After losing game five of their ECHL North Division Semifinal Playoff series at home in Portland on Wednesday night 4-3, the Maine Mariners needed a win in game six at Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania Saturday night to push the series to a seventh game. But that didn’t happen. Garrett McFadden scored a second period game winning goal, as the Reading Royals advanced to the North Division (Eastern Conference) Finals with a 6-2 win and also takes the series 4-2.
Reading scored early and Maine never led. Devon Paliani tallied 1:39 into the first period for the Royals. The Mariners tied it at 12:35 on a goal from Mitchell Fossier that was asdisted by Curtis Hall. Just 1:35 later, the hosts retook the lead 2-1 on a marker from Jacob Gaucher. Nick Master scored the final goal of the night for Maine to once again even the game at 3:16 of the second. Fossier and Andrew Peski had assists on the play. The game winner by McFadden came just over two minutes later. Zayde Wisdom made it 4-2 at 6:05, and then Reading wrapped up the win on goals from Tyler Heidt on the powerplay in the third period at 16:34 and one at by Brendan Hoffmann into an empty net at 18:05.
Francois Brassard made 27 saves in net in the loss for Maine, and the former Maine Black Bear Fossier had a goal and an assist. Fossier and Hall were the leaders in the series with six points each (three goals, three assists). The Mariners went 0-2 on the powerplay, and end the winningiest season so far in franchise history with a final record of 44-31-2. Pat Nagle stopped 21 shots for Reading, while Gaucher (one goal, two assists) and Evan Barratt (three assists) both had three points. The Royals went 1-5 on their powerplay. Reading (45-27-5) advances to play either Newfoundland or Adirondack in the North Division Finals. The Newfoundland Growlers lead that series 3-1 and can wrap it tomorrow.
Recap/cover photo by Chris Lessner
Photo- The Maine Mariners and Reading Royals faceoff at center ice to begin Game 3 of their ECHL North Division Semifinal Playoff series at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine on Monday, April 24
