KEELEY: TAYLOR’S GOAL NOT ENOUGH TO SPARK COMEBACK AS GROWLERS TOP MARINERS 

Early 3-0 deficit proves too much for Mariners

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners 

PORTLAND, ME – February 23, 2020 – The Newfoundland Growlers built a 3-0 first period lead on Sunday afternoon at the Cross Insurance Arena, and cruised to a 4-1 win over the Maine Mariners, as they celebrated the 40^th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice.” The Growlers took the regular season series from the Mariners, winning 6 of the 11 meetings after the Mariners had won three of four in Newfoundland last week.

The Growlers established a multi-goal lead early, scoring twice in the first 4:08. Justin Brazeau buried a rebound created by a Mark Tremaine shot from the left circle at 2:36. Dylan Vander Esch made it 2-0 soon after, rolling a puck over the right pad of Maine goaltender Francois Brassard. At the 14:44 mark of the first, Growlers defenseman Evan Neugold barely held the puck at the blue line but blasted a shot past Brassard from the center point to make it 3-0.

The Mariners played a much stronger 2^nd period and got on the scoreboard at 5:03 when defenseman Jeff Taylor finished some good work below the goal line by Terrence Wallin, Alex Kile, and Morgan Adams-Moisan. The Mariners made a push to close the gap to one but had the win taken out of their sales by a Zach O’Brien highlight-reel goal at 16:10, making it 4-1 Growlers and concluding the scoring.

Newfoundland’s Angus Redmond improved to 13-0-0 with a 16 save effort while Brassard made 29 stops in the loss.

The Mariners go back on the road with stops in Reading on Wednesday and their first-ever trip to Wheeling, West Virginia on Friday. They’re back home one week from today to host the ECHL-leading South Carolina Stingrays at 3 PM. The ECHL championship trophy, the Kelly Cup will be in the building, and the Mariners will award the Captain Joel Barnes Community Service Award on the one-year anniversary of his tragic passing in the line of duty.

Groups of 10 or more can get discounted tickets to all games by calling 833-GO-MAINE. Individual tickets can be purchased at MarinersOfMaine.com, at the Trusted Choice Box Office inside the Cross Insurance Arena, or by calling 207-775-3458. All Saturday and Sunday home games feature the Family Four Pack – four tickets, four food and drink vouchers, and four Mariners beverage koozies, starting at $80, and must be purchased in advance of game day.