KEELEY: CULKIN RECALLED, SAVAGE RETURNS 

Mariners swap defensemen from AHL

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners

PORTLAND, ME – November 25, 2019 – Defenseman Ryan Culkin was recalled to the Laval Rocket on Monday, while fellow blue-liner Scott Savage was reassigned from the Milwaukee Admirals. Culkin earns his first call up of 2019-20, while Savage played one game on recall over the weekend.

Culkin, 25 years old, has been under contract with Laval for the past two seasons but has played primarily with the Mariners. The Montreal, QC native leads all Mariners defenseman in scoring, with 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) in 14 games. In Friday’s 6-1 win at Norfolk, Culkin registered a career-high four points, with a goal and three assists. Culkin has been a pro since the 2014-15 season and has played for Adirondack, Fort Wayne, and Maine in the ECHL, while also racking up 93 career AHL games. Last season, Culkin appeared in 10 games for the Rocket, with one goal.

Savage was recalled by Milwaukee on Thursday and played in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Grand Rapids. The defenseman from San Clemente, CA signed an AHL contract with Milwaukee last spring, after playing 19 games on loan with the Admirals in 2018-19. An alternate captain for the second straight season, Savage has played in 13 games for the Mariners, with three assists. Last season in Maine, Savage scored three goals and added 11 assists in 23 games.

The Mariners have three home games this week around the Thanksgiving holiday – Tuesday at 7 PM against the Worcester Railers, Friday at 7:15 PM against the Indy Fuel, and then Saturday at 6 PM against the Newfoundland Growlers. Tuesday is a sensory reduced game for Autism Awareness featuring no goal horn, lower noise levels, and a quiet space for fans who need relief from the normal hectic atmosphere of a hockey game. Friday features Black Friday discounts at the Mariners merchandise stand: 20% off all Mariners pucks during the first intermission and 15% off all Mariners hats during the second intermission. Both promotions are limited to five items per customer and must be purchased with a credit or debit card. Saturday night will feature specialty Aquaman jerseys as part of the league’s partnership with DC Comics. There will also be a balloon artist for kids on the concourse. Groups of 10 or more can call 833-GO-MAINE to get tickets to any game at a discounted price. Individual game tickets can be purchased at MarinersOfMaine.com, in person at the Trusted Choice Box Office at the Cross Insurance Arena, or by calling the box office at 207-775-3458.