By: Mark Allred | Follow me on Twitter / X @BlackAndGold277
The Maine Mariners continued their strong start to the 2026-27 ECHL season with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over the visiting Worcester Railers on Sunday afternoon at the Cross Insurance Arena. The win marked the Mariners’ second consecutive victory of the weekend against their North Division rivals, extending Maine’s record to 2-1 to open the regular season.
The game saw the Mariners, the ECHL “AA” affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Boston Bruins, showcase fortitude and depth, especially in net over the weekend. Goaltender Max Lundgren, a 24-year-old prospect Boston recently signed after an exceptional NCAA career with the Merrimack College Warriors, got the start for Maine. Lundgren was outstanding, turning aside 31 of 32 shots to earn the first professional victory of his career and first win of the season.
Worcester struck first in the opening period, taking a 1-0 lead at 10:30 when Matt DeMelis notched his second goal of the year on a nifty backhand tally, assisted by linemates Stevie Moses and Riley Piercy. The Railers carried that edge into the first intermission after an evenly contested period.
The Mariners struggled to generate momentum early in the second, but found life midway through the frame. Max Andreev, who had already impressed with two shorthanded goals on Saturday, delivered again with another unassisted shorthanded tally at 11:41, tying the game 1-1 and electrifying the home crowd.
Building on that energy, the Mariners took advantage of a power play late in the second period. Forward Josh Bloom, recently assigned from the AHL Providence Bruins after an injury in training camp, scored his first goal of the season at 18:43. Assists went to Andreev and Antonio Venuto, giving Maine a 2-1 lead heading into the third period.
The Mariners padded their advantage in the third, as Antonio Venuto found the back of the net for his first goal of the year, with forwards Robert Cronin and Ryan Francis providing the assists. The insurance marker proved valuable as Worcester pressed hard and outshot Maine 11-5 in the final frame, but Lundgren stood tall to preserve the win.
Physical play was again front and center between these divisional foes, while both teams neared 150 combined penalty minutes over the two-game weekend series. Maine’s penalty kill remained perfect on the young season, fending off all of Worcester’s opportunities and operating at a flawless 100%. The Mariners’ power play, however, still needs consistency, converting just once in seven chances during Sunday’s game.
Maine finished with a 36-32 edge in shots on goal, weathering Worcester’s late surge. The Mariners now look ahead to a challenging five-game road swing, opening with a back-to-back set against the Trios-Rivières Lions at the Colisée Vidéotron in Quebec, Canada next weekend.
With two wins in three games and strong contributions from both new arrivals and returning players, the Mariners have positioned themselves well early in the North Division race. As the season develops, Maine will aim to build on this promising start and continue their push toward the top of the division and their goal of participating in a long postseason and raising the franchise’s first Kelly Cup championship.
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