Maine Mariners Quiet Lions In Overtime Thriller

The Maine Mariners hosted the Trois-Rivieres Lions in an early-afternoon ECHL matchup at the Cross Insurance Arena.

The fans were treated to a thriller, with the Mariners coming from behind for a 4-3 victory to end 2024.

Former Portland Pirate Derek Whitmore, who signed with the Mariners Monday, scored the tying goal in the third period, and Wyllum Deveaux delivered the overtime goal for Maine, who improves to 11-14-2.

The Lions jumped on top 2-0 in the opening period. Jakov Novak tapped in a power-play goal at the 10:29 mark for a 1-0 lead. Novak’s shot broke his stick, but the puck managed to slide past Mariners goaltender Ryan Bischel.

Former Mariner Morgan Adams-Moisan made the score 2-0 after tapping in a Jacob Paquette pass at the 17:13 mark.

The Mariners finally broke their scoring drought at 5:24 of the middle frame. Sebastian Vidmar fed Jacob Hudson in the slot for a wrister stick-side past Trois-Rivieres goalie Hunter Jones to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The Lions got their two-goal lead back at the 18:54 mark of the period when Alex Beaucage sent a wrist shot from the high slot to beat Bischel.

A minute later, Maine brought the margin back to one at 3-2 on a Brooklyn Kalmikov breakaway. Kalmikov leads the Mariners in points against Trois-Rivieres with three (0-3-3).

With less than half of the third period to play, Whitmore, who was playing in his first professional game in three years, tickled the twine after taking a Corey Dennis pass on the doorstep of the goal behind the net to tie the game 3-3.

The 40-year-old winger is a veteran of over 400 professional games, including 369 in the American Hockey League and 36 in the ECHL.

Each team got a power-play opportunity but neither could capitalize, and the game headed to overtime.

At 4:36 of OT, Deveaux raced into the offensive zone and sent a wrister through Jones for the 4-3 comeback victory.

Nick Jermain and Michael Underwood picked up assists.

Bischel earned his eighth win of the season, stopping 27 of 30 shots. Jones made 21 saves in the loss for the Lions, who fall to 18-5-3.