By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
The Maine Mariners and Wheeling Nailers each defended their home ice in the first four games of the 2026 North Division Finals series. Last night’s 2-1 win in Game 4 by the Mariners in double overtime tied the series at two, making Game 5 a pivotal one, where the winner would take the series lead. In the end, it would be another win by the home team.
The Mariners defeated the Nailers 5-3 in Game 5 at Cross Insurance Arena. With the win, the Mariners now lead 3-2 in the series and will have a chance to clinch the series in the next game. The Mariners used their home-ice advantage when they needed it most against the Nailers after trailing 0-2 to begin the series, to then win all three games in Portland, Maine.
First Period
Just 1:31 into the game, the tone was set early when Mariners defenseman Jaxon Bellamy and Nailers forward Matthew Quercia dropped the gloves. Bellamy won the fight to fire up the Mariner fans. Fourteen seconds after the fight, the Mariners got their first power play of the game when Nailers defenseman Aidan Sutter was called for a slashing penalty.
However, the Mariners couldn’t score and found themselves trailing for the first time since Game 2. Forward Ryan McAllister scored 4:51 into the game against Mariners goaltender Luke Cavallin to give the Nailers a 1-0 lead. Despite the early goal allowed, the Mariners never panicked and responded quickly.
Exactly eight minutes after McAllister’s goal, Mariners forward Ben Allison tied the game at one. Forty-one seconds after Allison’s goal, forward Max Andreev scored to give the Mariners a 2-1 lead. The Mariners’ two goals against Nailers goaltender Taylor Gauthier helped them take a 2-1 lead heading into the intermission. The Mariners outshot the Nailers 10-7 in the period.
Second Period
The second period began 4-on-4 for the first two minutes after Mariners defenseman Zachary Massicotte and Quercia were each called for a roughing penalty when the first period concluded. After returning to 5-on-5, the Mariners got a power play when Nailers forward Blake Bennett was called for holding the stick. The Mariners desperately needed a power play goal to restore confidence with Bennett in the box, and they got one.
At 5:08 of the period, Andreev scored his second goal of the game on the power play to put the Mariners up 3-1. With 44 seconds remaining in the period, Bennett was called for a delay of the game on a faceoff, giving the Mariners a power play. However, the Mariners couldn’t score before the period ended, and led 3-1 heading into the second intermission. The Mariners outshot the Nailers 22-13 through two periods. Cavallin’s biggest save of the period happened with under four minutes remaining when he denied Nailers forward Mike Posma on a breakaway to keep the Mariners up by two goals.
Third Period
The third period began with the Mariners carrying over 1:16 of power play time from the second period, but they couldn’t score. Even after failing on the power play, the Mariners extended their lead to 4-1 when forward Brooklyn Kalmikov scored 4:16 into the period. After Kalmikov’s goal, the Nailers started to get back into the game.
Nailers forward Brayden Edwards scored a power play goal with 10:57 remaining in regulation to make it a 4-2 game. Then, the Nailers got another power play 54 seconds later with a chance to cut it to a one-goal game after the Mariners were called for too many men on the ice. However, the Nailers couldn’t score, and the Mariners would ice the game shortly after.
Eighteen seconds after the Mariners’ too many men on the ice penalty expired, Kalmikov scored his second goal of the game and period on a 3-on-1 to extend the Mariners’ lead to 5-2. Nailers forward Matty De St. Phalle scored with 2:04 remaining to cut the Mariners’ lead to 5-3, but it was too little too late for a comeback.
The Mariners’ offense remained hot, recording 36 shots on goal against Gauthier. For the second time in three games, the Mariners scored five goals against Gauthier, after he had been incredible in the first seven playoff games he played. Cavallin made 20 saves to earn the win, and Andreev and Kalmiov each scored two goals and added an assist. Mariner forwards Xander Lamppa and Jacob Hudson each recorded two assists.
The series will return to WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia, for Game 6 and, if needed, Game 7. Puck drop for Game 6 is scheduled for this Saturday at 7:10 p.m. ET. If the Mariners win, the series will be over, but if the Nailers win, Game 7 will be needed on May 18.
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