By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
Thirteen days ago, the Maine Mariners fell 4-2 to the Worcester Railers on opening night at DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, to begin the 2026-27 ECHL season. However, the Mariners rebounded by earning back-to-back home wins last weekend against the Railers at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine. Now, the Mariners head to Quebec to close out October with a back-to-back against the Trois-Rivières Lions, and it’s a chance to turn their road luck around.
The Mariners take on the Lions at Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Tonight is the first of eight meetings this season between the Mariners and Lions. After the back-to-back, the Mariners won’t play the Lions until Feb. 7 when they host them in Portland.
Last weekend, the Mariners earned back-to-back home wins against the Railers, their first wins of the season, outscoring them 6-1. In Saturday’s first game, the Mariners blanked the Railers 3-0. Forward Max Andreev scored two goals, including a third-period shorthanded goal, and goaltender Luke Cavallin recorded a 15-save shutout in the home opener. Forward Josh Bloom assisted on both of Andreev’s goals. In the third period, the Mariners played tight defense by holding the Railers to just three shots on goal.
The next day, the Mariners won 3-1 over the Railers. After the Railers led 1-0 heading into the first intermission, the Mariners scored three unanswered goals. Andreev and forward Antonio Venuto each recorded a goal and an assist in the win. After recording two assists the night before, Bloom scored the game-winning goal, and Andreev scored another shorthanded goal. Mariners goaltender Max Lundgren made 31 saves to earn his first career ECHL win.
A Look at the Opponent
The Lions are off to a hot start, with a 5-0 record and a 29-13 scoring margin. Last weekend, the Lions won all three road games against the Norfolk Admirals. Over the three games, the Lions scored 17 goals, including a 7-1 win in their last game.
Former Mariner and current Lions forward Brooklyn Kalmikov leads the team with 11 points and seven assists. Forward Anthony Beauregard has the second-most points on the Lions with 10, and his five goals tie for first on the roster with forward Mathieu Bizier. With five goals, Bizier has nine points, the third-most on the Lions’ roster. Goaltenders Hunter Jones and Francesco Lapenna have formed a solid duo, with both posting a GAA under 2.70.
Last Season’s Results
Last season, the Mariners and Lions met 14 times, and each team won seven games. However, of the seven games played in Trois-Rivières, the Lions won five, including a 6-0 win in the last meeting on April 18. The Mariners struggled to win on the road during the 2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs and lost their first road game of this season. Now, the Mariners face a hot Lions team in an arena where they struggled last season as they try to turn their road luck around.
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