By: Ryan Finch | Follow me on Twitter/X @RyanFinch0815
The Maine Mariners headed into Quebec looking to carry the momentum from their home-opening sweep of the Worcester Railers into a challenging weekend against the Trois-Rivières Lions. What awaited them was an opportunity to measure themselves against one of the hottest teams in the ECHL, as the Lions entered Friday night’s matchup undefeated and riding an impressive start to the 2026–27 campaign.
Maine certainly rose to the occasion. The Mariners delivered one of their biggest early-season performances Friday night, handing Trois-Rivières its first loss of the season with a dramatic 3–2 overtime victory. Linus Hemstrom played the role of hero, scoring the game-winner in sudden death to give Maine its third consecutive victory. Unfortunately, the Mariners couldn’t carry that momentum into Saturday’s rematch, falling 5–2 in the Halloween matinee.
The weekend may have ended with a split, but there are plenty of positives for Maine to take home. The Mariners proved they can compete with one of the league’s strongest early-season teams, received important contributions throughout the lineup, and continued to develop an identity built around timely scoring and dependable goaltending.
Friday’s matchup at Colisée Vidéotron presented a difficult challenge for the Mariners. Trois-Rivières entered the contest with a perfect record, having opened the season with five consecutive victories. Maine, meanwhile, was looking to extend its winning streak after sweeping Worcester the previous weekend.
The first period belonged to the goaltenders. Luke Cavallin was outstanding between the pipes, turning aside all 17 shots he faced in the opening 20 minutes to keep the game scoreless. His performance was especially important against a Lions team that had been generating offense at an impressive rate to begin the season.
Maine finally broke through midway through the second period. At 11:45, Bruins prospect Kalle Vaisanen scored his first ECHL goal, capitalizing on a power-play opportunity by finishing at the doorstep. Ben Allison and Mason Primeau were credited with the assists, giving the Mariners a 1–0 advantage.
The Lions responded late in the period when Anthony Beauregard found the back of the net to even the score at one heading into the third. Maine regained the lead just 3:12 into the final frame, this time with Robert Cronin providing the finishing touch. Max Andreev found Cronin in the slot, and the forward delivered a perfect shot high to the stick side to put the Mariners back in front. It was another important special-teams contribution for Maine, which had already capitalized on one power-play opportunity earlier in the contest.
With time winding down, it appeared the Mariners were going to escape Quebec with a regulation victory. However, the Lions weren’t finished. With just 19 seconds remaining, Mathieu Bizier deflected a point shot past Cavallin to tie the game and send the contest into overtime.
The extra period didn’t last long. At 2:32 of sudden death, Nick Anderson and Andreev helped spring Hemstrom on a drive toward the net. Francesco Lapenna stopped Hemstrom’s initial attempt, but the forward stayed with the play and knocked home the rebound to give Maine a dramatic 3–2 victory.
Cavallin finished with 34 saves on 36 shots, earning his second victory of the season. Lapenna stopped 30 of Maine’s 33 shots in the loss. Andreev recorded two assists, while Hemstrom’s overtime winner provided one of the early highlights of Maine’s season. The victory also marked the first time the Lions had lost in 2026–27, making the result an important statement for the Mariners.
After Friday’s thrilling finish, Maine returned to the ice Saturday afternoon hoping to complete the road sweep. The Halloween matchup featured another familiar storyline, as former Mariners forward Brooklyn Kalmikov faced his previous team.
Maine actually got off to a strong start. Jack Works opened the scoring in the first period, giving the visitors an early 1–0 lead and putting the Mariners in position to build on Friday’s momentum. However, the Lions answered before the opening period was over, with Kalmikov finding the back of the net to even the score.
The second period proved to be the turning point. Mathieu Bizier helped set up Nathaël Roy for the go-ahead goal, giving Trois-Rivières its first lead of the afternoon. Just over a minute later, Jacob Dion added a power-play goal to extend the advantage to 3–1. The Mariners suddenly found themselves chasing the game, and the Lions had taken control of the momentum.
Kalmikov continued to make life difficult for his former teammates in the third period. With Maine looking to generate a comeback, the forward scored an empty-net goal from deep inside the Lions’ defensive zone to extend the lead. Wyllum Deveaux answered with a late goal for Maine, but the Mariners couldn’t find another breakthrough as Trois-Rivières secured the 5–2 victory.
Kalmikov was undoubtedly the story of the afternoon. He finished with three points, including two goals, against his former club, extending his point streak to seven consecutive games. Roy and Dion also contributed goals for the Lions, while Hunter Jones stopped 26 of Maine’s 28 shots to earn the victory.
At the other end, Max Lundgren made 17 saves on 20 shots. Although the result wasn’t what Maine wanted, Works getting the scoring started and Deveaux finding the net late were positives to take away from an otherwise difficult afternoon.
One of the biggest early-season storylines for Maine has been the production of Max Andreev. His performance against Trois-Rivières on Friday continued an impressive start to the season, as he recorded two assists and played a major role in both of Maine’s regulation goals.
Andreev has shown an ability to create opportunities in different situations, whether through his offensive instincts at even strength or his contributions on special teams. His involvement in Cronin’s go-ahead goal was another example of his ability to make plays when the Mariners need them most.
The Mariners also received contributions from players throughout the lineup during the weekend. Vaisanen recorded his first professional ECHL goal, Works opened the scoring Saturday, and Hemstrom delivered the biggest goal of Friday’s contest. That kind of production is important for a team hoping to make another deep postseason run. Maine cannot depend on one line to provide all of its offense, and having different players step up in meaningful situations will be essential as the schedule gets busier.
Another encouraging takeaway from the weekend was the performance of Maine’s goaltenders. Cavallin’s 34-save performance Friday was instrumental in defeating a previously undefeated opponent. He made several important stops throughout the contest, including a strong opening period that allowed Maine to settle into the game without falling behind.
Lundgren faced a different challenge Saturday, making 17 saves against a Lions team that found more offensive success in the rematch. While the five-goal result wasn’t ideal, the Mariners will need both goaltenders to continue developing consistency as the season progresses.
The potential of the Cavallin-Lundgren tandem remains one of the more intriguing aspects of this Maine roster. If both can provide dependable performances throughout the season, the Mariners should have the kind of goaltending depth needed to compete against the ECHL’s best. Friday’s result was a reminder of just how important that position can be when games are tight.
The Mariners won’t have much time to reflect on the weekend, as their attention now turns toward a three-game road trip against the expansion Greensboro Gargoyles. Maine is scheduled to visit Greensboro on Thursday, November 5, with a 10:30 a.m. puck drop, followed by games Friday, November 6, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, November 7, also at 7 p.m.
It will be another important opportunity for Maine to build momentum and continue working toward consistency. The Mariners have now experienced a little bit of everything in the opening weeks of the season: a disappointing opening-night loss, a home-opening sweep of Worcester, a dramatic overtime victory against an undefeated opponent, and a difficult loss the following afternoon.
Following the Greensboro trip, Maine returns to Portland on Tuesday, November 10, to host the Wheeling Nailers at 6:30 p.m. The matchup will be the first of the team’s four scheduled 207 Local Nights, featuring discounted tickets and drink specials for fans at Cross Insurance Arena.
A weekend split isn’t necessarily the result the Mariners wanted when they made the trip to Quebec, but it shouldn’t overshadow what this group accomplished Friday night. Taking down an undefeated Trois-Rivières team on its home ice required patience, timely scoring and a tremendous effort from Cavallin. The overtime victory demonstrated that Maine has the ability to compete with some of the league’s best, even when the circumstances aren’t easy.
Saturday’s loss also provides a reminder of how quickly things can change in the ECHL. The Lions responded after their first defeat, received a major performance from a former Mariner, and took advantage of their opportunities to even the weekend series. Maine will need to learn from that performance, particularly when it comes to limiting second-period scoring chances and finding ways to generate offense when trailing.
There is still a long way to go in the 2026–27 season, but the early signs remain encouraging. The Mariners have shown resilience, received strong goaltending, and found offensive contributions from several different players. Friday’s win was a statement, Saturday’s loss was a learning opportunity, and the upcoming trip to Greensboro offers another chance to keep building.
Championship teams aren’t defined by winning every game. They’re defined by how they respond when things don’t go their way. The Mariners have already shown they can rise to a challenge, and now the focus shifts to turning these early-season lessons into consistent success. The road ahead won’t get any easier, but if this weekend in Quebec proved anything, it’s that Maine has the talent and determination to make some noise in the ECHL once again.
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