Maine Mariners beat Bloomington Bison 4-3 for second straight win, Girard debuts

The Mariners continue their road trip surge with a victory over the Bison.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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The Maine Mariners defeated the Bloomington Bison 4-3 on Saturday night, earning their second straight win on the road. Billy Girard, a University of New England alumnus, made his ECHL debut in goal for the Mariners, stopping 22 of 25 shots. The Mariners outshot the Bison 49-25 and were led offensively by goals from Liam Gorman, Mitch Deelstra, Brooklyn Kalmikov, and Max Andreev.

Why it matters

The Mariners' road trip success is an important boost as they look to solidify their position in the ECHL standings. Girard's debut also provides a promising sign for the team's goaltending depth.

The details

The Mariners opened the scoring in the first period when Liam Gorman scored on a wrist shot. Bloomington tied the game in the second period, but the Mariners regained the lead with goals from Mitch Deelstra and Brooklyn Kalmikov. Max Andreev added a power-play goal to make it 4-2 before Bloomington scored late to make it 4-3, but the Mariners held on for the victory.

  • The game was played on Saturday, February 22, 2026.
  • The Mariners scored the opening goal at 14:16 of the first period.
  • Bloomington tied the game at 12:00 of the second period.
  • The Mariners regained the lead at 6:15 of the third period.
  • Andreev scored the Mariners' fourth goal just over a minute later at 7:22 of the third period.

The players

Billy Girard

A University of New England alumnus who made his ECHL debut in goal for the Mariners, stopping 22 of 25 shots.

Liam Gorman

Scored the opening goal for the Mariners in the first period.

Mitch Deelstra

Scored the Mariners' second goal in the second period to extend their lead.

Brooklyn Kalmikov

Scored the Mariners' third goal in the third period to regain the lead.

Max Andreev

Scored the Mariners' fourth goal on the power play in the third period.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The Mariners will go for a road sweep with a 5 p.m. ET (4 p.m. CT) puck drop on Sunday, February 23, 2026 in Bloomington.

The takeaway

The Mariners' road trip success, including Girard's strong debut in goal, provides a boost as the team looks to solidify their position in the ECHL standings and make a push for the playoffs.