Published by Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners Media Relations and Broadcast Manager
If you're like me, you're sad to see the end of summer rapidly approaching. Those of us who have the privilege to live in Maine get to enjoy some of the most consistently nice weather in the country, if not the world. As the smell of the ocean air fades into fall, we take comfort that hockey season is not far behind. We're about two months out from opening night 2019-20, which is certain for the Mariners to be a season full of intrigue. Can they improve upon an already solid 37 win inaugural season? Can they make it into the postseason for the first time? Will the returning core take the team to the next level? Which players will take the next step in their careers to the AHL? As season two of Mariners hockey approaches, let's dive deep into all the storylines of the 2019-20 schedule.
A NEW LOOK NORTH DIVISION
2018-19 saw the Mariners and (eventual Kelly Cup Champs) Newfoundland Growlers join the North Division, and this coming season sees the subtraction of the Manchester Monarchs. The Monarchs ceased operations in May, dropping the North Division down to six teams: Newfoundland, Adirondack, Brampton, Reading, Maine, and Worcester*. Of course, Manchester was one of the Mariners' most common opponents last season, and likely would have been once again; their absence skewing the schedule into more meetings with Worcester and Adirondack.
*In the order they finished in 2018-19 (Manchester was third)
The initial takeaway, of course is Worcester and Adirondack making up exactly half of the entire schedule. While some may dislike that, I will play devil's advocate. The 2018-19 season series' with the Railers and Thunder were easily the most exciting of any head-to-head meetings the Mariners had with given opponents. Here's a preview of each North Division season series:
WORCESTER (18 games, 9 home, 9 away): In 2018-19, the Mariners were 10-4-0 against the Railers with a 6-1-0 home record and SIX overtime or shootout wins in the series overall. From a physical standpoint, the Railers were clearly Maine's biggest rival as well, with Worcester tough guy Yanick Turcotte challenging several Mariners throughout the season, including in the first minute of a game on two separate occasions. Turcotte re-signed with Worcester's AHL affiliate Bridgeport in late June, so expect to see him back this season.
ADIRONDACK (18 games, 8 home, 10 away): Adirondack was the team that marched into the Cross Insurance Arena to open 2018-19 and they'll do so again to kick off 2019-20. Of the ten meetings last season, the Thunder won six, but the Mariners captured three wins on home ice and won two games in the series in either OT or shootout. In my biased opinion, the Cross Insurance Arena and Cool Insuring Arena are two of the best atmospheres in the North Division. The Mariners will visit Glens Falls 10 times this season (only four in 2018-19), and welcome them to Portland for eight, including October 11th's season opener.
NEWFOUNDLAND (11 games, 7 home, 4 away): The Kelly Cup Champs will visit Portland seven times, and host the Mariners on "The Rock" for four in a row in mid-February. It was a tale of two venues for the Mariners in 18-19, going 3-1-0 against the Growlers at home and 0-4-0 in St. John's. The Growlers were a part of multiple key moments in Maine's inaugural season, not the least of which was the franchise's first win on October 21st, 2018. The final two meetings of the season required shootouts, including the 18-round classic on St. Patrick's Day. The Growlers will be happy that Wade Murphy was traded early in the offseason, as he was 3 for 3 with the shootout-winning goal in both games.
READING (9 games, 3 home, 6 away): The Royals finished the 2018-19 season as the hottest team in the division, going 7-0-1 in their last eight games and finishing one point out of the final playoff spot. The Mariners went a modest 3-4-1 against Reading in 18-19, with only one game in the entire season series being decided by one goal. That game was the Mariners' sole shootout loss of the season - November 2nd at home. November 7th, 2018 at Reading marked the franchise's first road win.
BRAMPTON (7 games: 4 home, 3 away): The Mariners and Beast played only six times in 2018-19, splitting three separate two game sets. Playing their best hockey of the season after they were finished playing the Mariners (the season series ended in mid-January), Brampton squeaked into the playoffs last season as the #4 seed and fell in six games to Newfoundland in round one. The Beast will have a new head coach at the helm with Spiros Anastas coming over from South Carolina after Colin Chaulk's promotion to AHL Belleville.
SOUTH SUCCESS
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| The Mariners and South Carolina Stingrays played a two game series on March 8th and 9th, 2019 at the Cross Insurance Arena. A Stingrays OT win in the 2nd game was the only Mariners loss to a South Division opponent all season. |
The Mariners had little issue with South Division opponents in 2018-19, going 5-1-1-0 against Norfolk, South Carolina, Orlando, and Greenville. Four of the six games were on home ice with the only two road contests at Norfolk. The Mariners will return to Virginia to play three in November, while the Admirals will come to Portland for one game in March. Maine was a perfect 3-0-0 against their fellow nautical-themed squad last season. South Carolina returns to the Cross Insurance Arena as well in 2019-20, but just for one game. The Jacksonville Icemen are in for two to kick off 2020 in what will be the first ever meeting between the two teams.
RILEY RETURNS TO WHEELING
Mariners head coach Riley Armstrong returns to his former home when Maine visits Wheeling on February 28th. Armstrong coached for parts of two seasons in an assistant capacity with the Nailers prior to accepting the head job with the Mariners. In his two seasons in Wheeling, the Nailers had an overall record of 69-58-16-1. Last season, the Mariners picked up a 4-1 win on home ice against Wheeling. The Nailers finished last place in the Central Division, but had a .500 record. The Mariners' trip to Wheeling marks the only new road destination in 2019-20.
FORMER MONARCHS IN INDY
HOME STANDIN' AND ROAD TRIPPIN'
It's no secret that the Mariners were two different teams at home and on the road in their inaugural campaign. Their 22-12-1-1 home record was 5th in the entire Eastern Conference. While a strong road trip in February improved their road record, they went point-less in their final three road contests, wrapping up 15-20-1-0 and ultimately missing the postseason because of it. In 2019-20, the Mariners have two long home stands on the schedule: a 7-gamer between Oct. 25 and Nov. 16, and a 6-game stretch from Feb. 1 to Feb. 11. As the calendar turns to 2020, the Mariners have six of the first seven at home to start the new year. The early part of March also sees five of six games at home over the first two weeks of the month. As for the longest road trips of the season, the Mariners are gone for five from Feb. 14 - Feb. 22, but are only visiting two locations: Newfoundland and Adirondack. They'll go to Reading and Wheeling the following week making it seven of eight on the road in that stretch. Between Jan. 15 and Jan. 31, the Mariners have six of seven away from Portland as they visit Adirondack, Brampton, and Worcester. It should also be noted that the Mariners finish the season with three road games in April, as their home schedule ends on March 29th.
JANUARY-FEBRUARY GRIND
The first two months of 2020 are the busiest all season for the Mariners, playing a season-high 15 games in January, and 14 more in February. Included are the two lone Canada trips - three in Brampton Jan. 17-19 and four in Newfoundland between Feb. 14-19. Last season, February was the Mariners' best month, when they posted a 9-4-0 record, which followed a 3-9-0 January. The remaining months of the 2019-20 schedule are balanced, with seven games in October, 11 each in November, December, and March, and three road games in April to close out the regular season.
MID-WEEK RANDOMNESS
So we've broken down the schedule by opponent, venue, and month. That leaves us days of the week to wrap things up. Just like last season, the Mariners will play 43 of 72 (60%) games on Friday or Saturday. Their ten Sunday contests will be one fewer than the inaugural season. The biggest change will be more Tuesdays and fewer Wednesdays. Last season, the Mariners played 14 Wednesday games and only two Tuesdays. This season, it's nine Tuesdays (including six at home) and eight Wednesday games (all on the road). One Monday (Nov. 11) and Thursday (Dec. 26) complete the daily breakdown. In 2018-19, day of the week didn't seem to matter much, with the Mariners finishing no better or worse than two games above or below .500 on any particular day of the week.
The 2018-19 Mariners got off to an 0-3 start. Like the organization as a whole, the team needed a little time to get settled in. By February and March there was a distinct feeling of something special beginning to build, and unfortunately the Mariners just ran out of steam. As everyone on and off the ice gears up for year two, expectations are higher, excuses are lower, rivalries are more intense, and a general sense of preparedness fills the air around the Maine Mariners. Just over two months separates this blog post from Opening Night's puck drop and it can't get here soon enough.
The 2018-19 Mariners got off to an 0-3 start. Like the organization as a whole, the team needed a little time to get settled in. By February and March there was a distinct feeling of something special beginning to build, and unfortunately the Mariners just ran out of steam. As everyone on and off the ice gears up for year two, expectations are higher, excuses are lower, rivalries are more intense, and a general sense of preparedness fills the air around the Maine Mariners. Just over two months separates this blog post from Opening Night's puck drop and it can't get here soon enough.
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