The Adirondack Thunder will take on the Maine Mariners in the first round of the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs. This is the first of the two North Division semifinals. The other features the Norfolk Admirals and Trois-Rivières Lions. 

Veteran ECHL writer Justin Cohn breaks it all down and tells you what you should keep an eye on during the series.

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North Division Semifinals

No. 1 Adirondack Thunder (43-18-11) Vs. No. 4 Maine Mariners (32-32-8)

Game 1 – Friday, April 19 at 7 p.m. ET at Adirondack
Game 2 – Sunday, April 21 at 5 p.m. ET at Adirondack
Game 3 – Friday, April 26 at 7:15 p.m. ET at Maine
Game 4 – Saturday, April 27 at 6 p.m. ET at Maine
Game 5 – Sunday, April 28 at 3 p.m. ET at Maine (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Tuesday, April 30 at 7 p.m. ET at Adirondack (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Wednesday, May 1 at 7 p.m. ET at Adirondack (If Necessary)

Adirondack And Maine Top Scorers

Adirondack’s Tristan Ashbrook had 32 goals and 57 points during the regular season; Maine’s Alex Kile had 37 goals (third in ECHL) and 83 points (fourth in ECHL) during the regular season.

What You Need To Know About The Adirondack Thunder

The Thunder was a feel-good story in the 2023 playoffs, squeaking in at the 11th hour, before getting bounced by the Newfoundland Growlers in five games. 

This year, Adirondack comes in with the top seed in the Eastern Conference. 

Ashbrook, a rookie, has been a revelation after getting cut by Fort Wayne at the end of training camp, though he had an injury, and the Komets didn’t see much before sending him packing. 

The Thunder roster has a bunch of talented, complementary forwards, such as Shane Harper and Erik Middendorf, and coach Pete MacArthur gets the maximum out of them. 

There’s not much the Adirondack does that should be considered flashy, but the Thunder have been effective in all facets of the game. 

Goaltender Jeremy Brodeur posted an 18-9-3 record and was tied for fourth in the ECHL with a 2.56 GAA and was fifth with a .928 SP during the regular season.

What You Need To Know About The Maine Mariners

The Mariners closed the regular season with four games against the Thunder and went 1-2-1, though it was the 4-3 overtime victory in the finale Sunday – capped by a Kile goal – sent Maine into the postseason. 

The Mariners were 6-5-3 against the Thunder during the regular season. 

Maine’s offense ranked fifth (3.47 goals per game) and the defense only 21st (3.61 goals against per game). 

No one questions whether the Mariners can score; Adam Mechura had 22 goals during the regular season, and Brooklyn Kalmikov had 21. But can they defend? I mean, the Mariners have allowed an average of 5.7 goals over their last six games. 

Since joining the ECHL in 2018, the Mariners have made the playoffs three times. In their first two trips, 2022 and 2023, they lost in six games to the Reading Royals.

Two Players To Watch In Adirondack-Maine Series

Adirondack’s Yushiroh Hirano is one of the ECHL’s most exciting players, and he has been on a tear with two goals and nine points in his last four games – all against Maine. He is a player the Mariners are going to have to lock in on defensively, after he totaled 16 goals and 54 points in 59 regular-season games. 

Maine’s Brad Arvantis is a goalie who can get hot, and the Mariners need him to do so. His .920 save percentage was tied for third-best in the ECHL, and his 2.71 goals-against average was 10th during the regular season.

X-Factor For The Adirondack-Maine Series

Physical play. 

A big part of Adirondack’s success has been playing physically without taking bad penalties. If the likes of Darian Skeoch and Ryan Wheeler can continue pummeling opposing forwards, and blocking a lot of shots, Maine could be in for a tough ride. 

But the Mariners aren’t shy, either, not with players such as Tyler Drevitch. 

Look for these teams to come out and assert physical play early, because taking the lead will be particularly important in this series.  

Adirondack Thunder Vs. Maine Mariners Predictions

Adirondack has been on a good trajectory all season and has a balanced lineup top to bottom. The Thunder aren’t flashy, but they’re effective, while Maine is much more unpredictable. Adirondack wins in six games. 

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