Kile's Overtime Winner Sends Mariners to Playoffs
April 14, 2024 - ECHL (ECHL)
Maine Mariners News Release
GLENS FALLS, NY - Alex Kile's power play goal at 5:31 of overtime lifted the Maine Mariners to a 4-3 victory over the Adirondack Thunder on Sunday afteroon, clinching them a berth in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the third straight season. The Mariners narrowly edged out the Worcester Railers for the fourth seed in the North, and will take on Adirondack in the North Division Semifinals starting Friday in Glens Falls.
Each team struck once in the opening period, with the goals coming less than a minute apart. Brooklyn Kalmikov collected a power play goal at 9:27, cashing a carom off the back boards and potting it behind Jeremy Brodeur for a 1-0 Maine lead. Just :58 later, the Thunder's Connor Blake took a cross ice feed from Matt Stief and tied the game with a wrister from the right circle.
Adirondack netted a pair of goals in the second period to take a 3-1 lead. Ryan Wheeler finished a slot pass for a power play goal at 9:44, followed by Shane Harper cashing a breakaway at 12:02. Maine trailed 3-1 after 40 minutes.
The Mariners earned a 4-on-3 power play early in the third period, and Kile buried his first goal of the game at 5:10, ripping off a one-timer from the top of the right circle. With an assist on the play, Brooklyn Kalmikov collected his 100th career ECHL point. Still down a goal with just under five minutes to play, Maine rookie forward Ty Cheveldayoff redirected Connor Doherty's shot from the left point past Brodeur for his first professional goal in just his second game to tie it up, 3-3. As the game advanced to overtime, the Mariners needed the victory to clinch a playoff spot, with Trois-Rivieres defeating Worcester, 4-0.
On a Fedor Gordeev breakaway, Thunder defenseman Ryan Conroy was called for tripping at 4:54 of overtime, sending the Mariners to their ninth power play chance of the game. With 1:29 left in the period, Kile stepped into a Kalmikov feed and blasted the game-winner past Brodeur to end the game and send the Mariners to the postseason. The Mariners and Railers each finished with a .500 point percentage, and with the Mariners holding the tiebreaker (regulation win percentage), they clinched the fourth seed.
The Mariners finished the regular season with a record of 32-32-8-0, qualifying for the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the third straight season. They will take on the Thunder in a best-of-seven North Division Semifinals, beginning right back at Cool Insuring Arena with Game 1 on Friday, April 19th at 7 PM. Game 2 is Sunday, April 21st at 5 PM. The Mariners will host Games 3, 4, and 5 (if necessary) of the series April 26th-28th at the Cross Insurance Arena at 7:15, 6, and 3 PM respectively. Tickets are on sale at MarinersOfMaine.com or at the Hammond Lumber Company Box Office inside the Cross Insurance Arena. The Maine Mariners 2024 Playoffs are presented by Evergreen Credit Union.
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