By: Ryan Finch | Follow me on Twitter/X @RyanFinch0815
The Maine Mariners found themselves facing an uphill battle Thursday morning in Greensboro, falling behind by three goals before mounting a third-period comeback against the Gargoyles. Despite goals from captain Wyllum Deveaux and Ben Allison, the Mariners could not complete the rally, falling 3-2 in the opening game of their three-game series at First Horizon Coliseum.
It was a frustrating result for Maine, particularly after the team showed plenty of fight in the final period. The Mariners entered the third trailing 3-0 but quickly changed the momentum, scoring twice in the opening 10:22. Unfortunately, the early deficit proved too much to overcome as Greensboro held on to take the series opener.
The Gargoyles opened the scoring at 4:59 of the first period when defenseman Tristan De Jong found the back of the net. Matthew Quercia and Braden Doyle were credited with the assists, giving Greensboro an early 1-0 advantage.
Maine continued to generate opportunities throughout the opening period, recording nine shots on goal, but Greensboro goaltender Yegor Velmakin stood strong. The Gargoyles then extended their lead late in the period when Markus Oden scored at 16:07, assisted by Ethan Leyh.
The Mariners found themselves trailing 2-0 after 20 minutes despite a relatively even start to the game. Greensboro was outshot by Maine 7-9 in the opening period, but the difference on the scoreboard came down to the Gargoyles capitalizing on their scoring opportunities.
The second period made Maine’s task even more difficult. Greensboro held a 13-10 advantage in shots during the middle frame and added another goal at 14:16. Ben Raymond finished a play set up by defenseman Austen May, extending the Gargoyles’ lead to 3-0. Through two periods, the Mariners were still generating chances, but they needed a spark heading into the final 20 minutes.
That spark came almost immediately in the third period. Just 2:47 into the period, Deveaux got Maine on the scoreboard, finishing a play with assists from Kalle Vaisanen and Allison. The goal gave the Mariners life and immediately changed the feeling of the game.
Maine continued to push, and at 10:22, Allison cut the deficit to just one goal. Vaisanen picked up his second assist of the afternoon, while Allison recorded his first goal of the season and his second point of the game.
The performances from Allison and Vaisanen were particularly encouraging in the loss. Allison finished with a goal and an assist, while Vaisanen recorded two assists and was involved in both of Maine’s goals. Their chemistry helped fuel the Mariners’ comeback and gave Maine something positive to build on as the series continues.
Despite pulling within one, the Mariners were unable to find the equalizer. Maine generated nine shots in the third period and continued pressing late, even pulling Luke Cavallin for an extra attacker with 26 seconds remaining. Velmakin and the Greensboro defense held on, however, securing the 3-2 victory.
While the result was not what the Mariners wanted, Cavallin gave Maine an opportunity to fight its way back into the game. The goaltender made 29 saves on 32 Greensboro shots, finishing with a .906 save percentage.
At the other end, Velmakin stopped 26 of Maine’s 28 shots and finished with a .929 save percentage. The Gargoyles held a 32-28 advantage in shots on goal, including a 13-10 edge during the second period.
Neither team was able to capitalize on the power play. Maine went 0-for-2 with the man advantage, while Greensboro also finished 0-for-2. The Mariners took just four penalty minutes in the contest, with Ryan McGuire called for tripping in the second period and Michael Underwood called for interference late in the third.
The good news for Maine is that there is very little time to dwell on the loss. The Mariners will have two more opportunities against the Gargoyles this weekend, beginning with Friday night’s rematch at 7 p.m. The two teams will then meet once again Saturday night at 7 p.m. to close out the three-game series.
The biggest thing to watch will be whether Maine can carry the energy from its third-period comeback into Friday’s opening faceoff. The Mariners showed that they could create offense against Greensboro once they began applying consistent pressure, and avoiding another multi-goal deficit early will be critical.
There are also encouraging signs offensively heading into the final two games. Deveaux found the back of the net, Allison produced a goal and an assist, and Vaisanen contributed on both Maine goals. If those players can continue generating offense while Maine’s top contributors find their rhythm, the Mariners should have a strong opportunity to even the series Friday night.
Thursday’s loss was disappointing, but the Mariners showed something important in the final period: they didn’t quit. A three-goal deficit became a one-goal game, and now Maine has two more chances to finish the road trip on a high note. The challenge is clear heading into Friday and Saturday—start stronger, play with the urgency shown in the third period, and turn a frustrating opening loss into a successful response.
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