Maine Mariners lose to Worcester in season opener

Maine Mariners begin their ECHL campaign with a hard‑fought 4‑2 loss to the Worcester Railers

The Mariners opened the 2024‑25 ECHL season Saturday night in Worcester, Massachusetts, but fell 4‑2 to the local rivals, the Railers. The game was a quick‑fire start, with Worcester’s Matt De Melis scoring just 15 seconds in to give his team a 1‑0 lead. The first period ended with the Railers still on top.

The second period saw the Railers widen their advantage. Sam Stange netted a goal at 1:02 into the period, and a minute later Jordan Kaplan finished a break‑away, assisted by Michael Suda, to make it 3‑0. The Mariners’ offense finally broke through in the third, with Jack Bar scoring at 7:54. A 29‑second response from Worcester’s Declan McDonald – his lone shot of the period – brought the score to 4‑1. Maine’s Owen Gallatin capped the game with a power‑play goal with 3:49 to play.

Goalie for the Railers, Parker Gahagen, recorded 26 saves, while Maine’s Luke Cavallin stopped 9 shots. Though the Mariners couldn’t keep pace, they showed moments of promise, especially during Gallatin’s special‑teams work.

Both teams will square off again next weekend in Portland. Two afternoon games are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, giving the Mariners a chance to regroup and aim for a first victory in the new season.