- Maine Mariners
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Maine Mariners 
City Portland, Maine League American Hockey League Operated 1977–1987
1987–1992 (expansion team)Home arena Cumberland County Civic Center Colors orange and black; black and gold (when Boston Bruins affiliate) Affiliates Philadelphia Flyers,
New Jersey Devils,
Boston BruinsFranchise history 1977–1987 Maine Mariners 1987–1993 Utica Devils 1993–2003 Saint John Flames 2005–2007 Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights 2007–2009 Quad City Flames 2009–present Abbotsford Heat 1987–1992 Maine Mariners 1992–present Providence Bruins Championships Regular season titles two (1977–78, 1978–79) Division Championships five (1977–78,
1978–79, 1980–81,
1984–85, 1987–88)Calder Cups three (1977–78,
1978–79, 1983–84)The Maine Mariners were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Portland, Maine, USA at the Cumberland County Civic Center.
Contents
History
Once the Cumberland County Civic Center began construction in 1976, there was discussion of the building hosting a minor league hockey franchise. Three franchises eventually made bids to play AHL hockey in Portland: the WHA's Quebec Nordiques, the AHL's Rhode Island Reds, and the Philadelphia Flyers from the NHL. Quebec, who had already a farm team in Lewiston (the Maine Nordiques of the NAHL), was considering supporting affiliates in Portland as well. Rhode Island, who were an established AHL franchise, didn't want to relocate to Portland, but instead proposed scheduling a dozen regular season games there. Philadelphia was the only franchise that wanted to utilize Portland as their teams sole farm club, and in 1977, the agreement to create the Maine Mariners was struck. It proved to be bad news for the Maine Nordiques, who ceased operations after the 1977 season.
Bob McCammon was the team's first head coach. The first regular season game in franchise history was played in Portland in front of 6,566 spectators on October 15, 1977 against the Binghamton Broome Dusters.
The Mariners are the only franchise in league history to win the Calder Cup title in their first two seasons (1977–78, 1978–79) and at the time were the only team to ever capture the Calder Cup during their inaugural season. Later, the feat was matched by the team that brought AHL hockey back to Portland, the Portland Pirates.
Maine returned to the Calder Cup final in 1980–81 and first-year goaltender Pelle Lindbergh became the only goaltender in AHL history, and just the third player ever, to win the AHL regular season MVP and AHL outstanding rookie award in the same season. Bob McCammon won his second AHL coach of the year award.
In 1983–1984 the franchise was taken over by the New Jersey Devils of the NHL. The same season Maine became only the fourth team in AHL history to win a Calder Cup title with a losing regular season record. The Mariners defeated the Rochester Americans in a rematch of the previous year’s finals four games to one. It was the local’s third Calder Cup crown and their fifth finals appearance in seven years. Maine’s championship year was truly a team effort as no members of the club made the all-star team, won a league award during the regular season, or placed in the regular season top ten in scoring. Bud Stefanski was the first recipient of the new AHL playoff MVP award.
Following the 1986-87 season, the Mariners franchise was moved to Utica, New York, renaming themselves the Utica Devils. However, Portland was not without hockey, as the league approved an expansion team supplied by players from the Boston Bruins. The new affiliation with the Bruins saw the team's colors changed from Flyers orange and black (the team never wore the Devils colors during their affiliation) to Bruins black, gold and white. After five seasons in Portland, the Maine Mariners franchise was moved to Providence, RI following the 1991-92 season and renamed the Providence Bruins. The final Mariners home game took place on April 4, 1992 against Fredericton.
This market was previously served by:
- Maine Nordiques of the (NAHL) (1973–1977)
This market is now the home to:
- Portland Pirates (1993–present)
Season-by-season results
Regular season
Season Games Won Lost Tied OTL Points Goals
forGoals
againstStanding 1977–78 80 43 28 9 — 95 305 256 1st, North 1978–79 80 45 22 13 — 103 350 252 1st, North 1979–80 80 41 28 11 — 93 307 266 3rd, North 1980–81 80 45 28 7 — 97 319 292 1st, North 1981–82 80 47 26 7 — 101 325 272 2nd, North 1982–83 80 39 33 8 — 86 342 309 3rd, North 1983–84 80 33 36 11 — 77 310 312 3rd, North 1984–85 80 38 32 10 — 86 296 266 1st, North 1985–86 80 40 31 9 — 89 274 285 2nd, North 1986–87 80 35 40 — 5 75 272 298 5th, North 1987–88 80 44 25 7 4 99 308 284 1st, North 1988–89 80 32 40 8 — 72 262 317 5th, North 1989–90 80 31 38 11 — 73 294 317 5th, North 1990–91 80 34 34 12 — 80 269 284 5th, North 1991–92 80 23 47 10 — 56 296 352 5th, North Playoffs
Season Prelim 1st round 2nd round Finals 1977–78 — bye W, 4–3, NS W, 4–1, NH 1978–79 — bye W, 4–2, NS W, 4–0, NH 1979–80 — W, 4–2, NS L, 2–4, NB — 1980–81 — W, 4–3, SPR W, 4–3, NB L, 2–4, ADIR 1981–82 — L, 1–3, NS — — 1982–83 — W, 4–3, NS W, 4–2, FRED L, 0–4, ROCH 1983–84 — W, 4–3, ADIR W, 4–1, NS W, 4–1, ROCH 1984–85 — W, 4–2, NS L, 1–4, SHER — 1985–86 — L, 1–4, MONC — — 1986–87 Out of playoffs. 1987–88 — W, 4–1, NS L, 1–4, FRED — 1988–89 Out of playoffs. 1989–90 Out of playoffs. 1990–91 L, 7–12, FRED † — — — 1991–92 Out of playoffs. † Two game combined total goals series.
Team records
Single season
- Goals:
- Assists:
- Points:
- Penalty Minutes:
- GAA:
- SV%:
Career
- Career Goals:
- Career Assists:
- Career Points:
- Career Penalty Minutes:
- Career Goaltending Wins:
- Career Shutouts:
- Career Games:
External links
The City of Portland, Maine General Geography Bramhall Hill · Cliff Island · Cow Island · Cushing Island · East End Beach · Fore River · Fore River Sanctuary · Great Diamond Island · Jewell Island · Little Diamond Island · Mackworth Island · Munjoy Hill · Peaks IslandNeighborhoods Arts District · Back Cove · East Bayside · Deering Center · Munjoy Hill · Old Port · Portland Financial District · West EndStreets and Squares Commercial Street · Congress Street · Eastern Promenade · Exchange Street · Franklin Street · Longfellow Square · Monument Square · Western PromenadeSports teams Current: Maine Red Claws · Portland Phoenix FC · Portland Pirates · Portland Sea Dogs Former: Maine Mariners · Portland Blue Sox · Portland Pilots · Portland WaveMetropolitan area Greater PortlandEducation University of Southern Maine · Maine College of Art · University of New England · Portland, Maine schools · Casco Bay HS · Catherine McAuley HS · Cheverus HS · Deering HS · Portland HS · Waynflete SchoolCategories:- Maine Mariners
- Sports clubs established in 1977
- Sports clubs disestablished in 1992
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