Maine Mariners

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Franchise history
Maine Mariners

City:	Portland, Maine
League:	American Hockey League
Operated:	1977 to 1992
Home Arena:	Cumberland County Civic Center
Colors:	orange and black
Affiliates:	Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins
1977 to 1992:	Maine Mariners
1992 to 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.

1 History
2 Season-by-season results
- 2.1 Regular Season
- 2.2 Playoffs
3 Team records
- 3.1 Single Season
- 3.2 Career
4 External links

[edit] History

The Philadelphia Flyers were the Mariners’ first NHL affiliation. There were three bids to put an AHL team in Portland from Quebec, the Rhode Island Reds, and Philadelphia. Quebec wanted a team to play in both Lewiston and Portland. The previous year they had placed a team in Lewiston called the Maine Nordiques. The Rhode Island Reds were an established AHL franchise (They had played the first professional hockey game in the new Cumberland County Civic Center in the Spring of 1977 against the Springfield Indians) and wanted to schedule just a few home games in Portland. Philadelphia made the only offer to put an AHL franchise in Portland only. The Maine Nordique franchise folded once the Maine Mariners began.

Bob McCammon was the team's first head coach. The first regular season game in franchise history was against the Binghamton Broome Dusters at Portland.

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 are just the second team ever to capture the Calder Cup during their inaugural season. The feat was also 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.

The affiliation changed again when the Maine Mariners were supplied by players from the Boston Bruins. The affiliation not only changed but also the team colors. The Mariners had always worn the uniform colors of the original team, orange and white with black trim. Boston changed the colors to Bruins black, gold and white. Boston had the franchise in Portland for five years, until 1991–1992. The 1991–1992 campaign was the final one for the Maine Mariners as the franchise was moved to Providence, RI and renamed the Providence Bruins.

This market was previously served by:

Maine Nordiques of the (NAHL) (1973–1977)

This market is now the home to:

Portland Pirates (1993-present)

[edit] Season-by-season results

[edit] Regular Season

Season	Games	Won	Lost	Tied	OTL	Points	Goals for	Goals against	Standing
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

[edit] 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.