Maine Mariners’ Power Play Was Biggest Reason They Fell to Wheeling Nailers

By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18

Last night at WesBanco Arena, the Maine Mariners’ 2025-26 season ended in a 4-3 loss in Game 7 to the Wheeling Nailers in the North Division Finals. Despite the series loss, the Mariners still accomplished a lot, setting a new franchise record for most points in a regular season with 93 points, and winning their first playoff series in team history over the Adirondack Thunder in the first round of the 2026 ECHL Playoffs.

However, the loss hurts knowing the Mariners were one win away from making the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in team history. While many factors can go into a series loss, the power play struggles stood out above all else for the Mariners against the Nailers.

In the 2025-26 regular season, the Mariners’ power play was steady. Overall, the Mariners converted on 55 power play goals in 252 attempts (21.8 percent). Forwards Max Andreev and Jacob Hudson each scored ten goals on the power play to lead the Mariners in the regular season. The Mariners got through round one against the Thunder, but against the Nailers, the power play hurt them in the end.

In Game 1, the Mariners fell 4-3 in overtime. During the game, the Mariners went 1-for-5 on the power play. However, the Mariners’ power play goal by defenseman Owen Gallatin gave them a 2-1 lead. With the game tied at three in the third period, the Mariners had a power play opportunity to take the lead, but it was ruined 22 seconds later after Gallatin took a penalty. Seven seconds into overtime, the Mariners had a power play opportunity to win the game, but failed.

In Game 2, the Mariners went 0-for-3 on the power play but were dominated, losing 4-1. Game 3 was where the power play turned around for the Mariners, as they went 4-for-6 overall in their 6-3 win at home, with four different players scoring a goal on the power play. Then, the Mariners followed it up with poor power play opportunities for the rest of the time they were at home.

In Game 4, the Mariners won 2-1 in double overtime. However, the Mariners went 0-for-7 on the power play in the win. The Mariners had a four-minute power play at the end of regulation that carried into the first overtime, along with two more power play opportunities in the overtime periods. Then, despite winning 5-3 in Game 5, the Mariners went 1-for-6 on the power play. Andreev scored the only Mariners power play goal in the game, which was in the second period, to extend the Mariners’ lead to 3-1.

When the series shifted back to Wheeling for Game 6, the Mariners went 0-for-3 on the power play in the 2-1 overtime loss. Game 7 is where the power play had a chance to be a hero and save the season. Then, the power play didn’t show up at the worst possible time. The Mariners went 0-for-5 on the power play in Game 7’s 4-3 loss. While trailing 2-1 in the third period, the Mariners had two power play opportunities to tie the game at two, but failed. Going 0-for-5 on the power play in a winner-take-all game is an awful way to go out, and it happened to the Mariners.

Overall, the Mariners went 6-for-35 (17.1 percent) on the power play against the Nailers in the series. However, Game 3’s power play success doesn’t change how awful the power play was for the rest of the series. If Game 3’s power play stats were taken away, the Mariners were 2-for-29 (6.9 percent) on the power play in the rest of the series, which is flat-out awful.