KEELEY: MARTIN COMPLETES MIRACULOUS MARINERS COMEBACK 

Mariners rally from 4-1 deficit in the third to beat Railers in OT

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners

PORTLAND, ME – February 13, 2019 – On the day that Ty Ronning was recalled back to the AHL, the Mariners re-enacted a scene from his ECHL debut. Down 4-1 on home ice to the Worcester Railers with less than 13 minutes remaining in regulation, they stormed back to force OT and Brycen Martin played hero, scoring the game-winner on the team’s only shot of the extra session.

The Mariners grabbed a 1-0 lead at 7:25 of the first period, when Jason Salvaggio and Johnny McInnis caused a turnover in the slot and Salvaggio, powered a shot through Railers goaltender Mitch Gillum. The Railers answered quickly when Barry Almeida capitalized on a Connor LaCouvee turnover behind the Mariners goal and stuffed in a wraparound to tie the game at 8:07. The offense was free-flowing throughout the first, with a combined 33 shots, 18-15 in favor of the Railers.

Worcester got the only two goals of the middle frame – a Ryan Hitchcock one-timer in the slot at 1:15 and a Dylan Willick deflection at the 15:00 mark. The Mariners killed a 5-on-3 in the period but had trouble generating any momentum, getting outshot 14-7.

Just 1:03 into the third, Worcester capitalized on an instant power play and took a 4-1 lead as Tyler Barnes got alone to Connor LaCouvee’s left and beat him up top, scoring a goal for his eighth consecutive game. Looking dead in the water, the Mariners broke out with a 3-on-1 rush and defenseman Josh Couturier, making his Maine debut, beat Gillum with a wrist shot to cut into the deficit at 7:33. Wade Murphy brought the Mariners back to within one when his backhand at 12:17 finished off a relentless shift in the offensive zone. On the very next rush, Michael McNicholas narrowly missed tapping home Dillan Fox’s cross-ice feed that would have tied the game. With two minutes remaining, Derek Pratt’s threw a puck from below the goal line that caromed perfectly off Gillum’s skate and in to make it 4-4.

The Railers controlled possession for roughly the first 90 seconds of overtime, but Brycen Martin marched down the left wing at 2:57 of the extra frame and beat Gillum short-side high for his sixth of the season and the game-winner. Jason Salvaggio finished the game with a goal and three assists. Terrence Wallin and Johnny McInnis each had two helpers. Connor LaCouvee made 43 saves on 47 shots to earn his 6^th win.

The Mariners gained ground on all six other teams in the North with Reading and Manchester falling, and Newfoundland, Adirondack, and Brampton all idle. They’ve won back-to-back games for the first time in 2019 and five in a row against Worcester.

The Mariners will head on the road for five games starting Friday night against the Norfolk Admirals in Norfolk, VA at 7:00 PM. The next home game is Sunday, February 24^th at 3:00 PM, when Worcester comes to town again. A full team autograph session will follow the game. Single game tickets can be purchased at MarinersofMaine.com or by visiting or calling the Trusted Choice Box Office: 207-775-3458.