ECHL: Mariners Goalie Recalled to Providence; Sign His Replacement

The Maine Mariners sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. They are also in third in the North Division with an 11-6-3-1 record with 26 points. Today, it was announced that the Mariners’ goalie was recalled by the Providence Bruins of the AHL. With Luke Cavallin heading to Providence, the Mariners found themselves in a bind and quickly signed former University of New England goaltender Billy Girard to replace him.

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Luke Cavallin

Luke Cavallin signed with the Bruins organization this past July to an entry-level contract. Through 14 starts this season with the Mariners, Cavallin has a 9-4-1 record. He posts a 2.05 GAA and a .927 save percentage. Cavallin’s nine wins this season rank tied for the second most in the ECHL. He ranked sixth in save percentage this season with the Mariners. Last season, Cavallin played for the Trois-Rivieres Lions, where he was a key piece to the Lions’ Kelly Cup run. He led the league in save percentage last year with a .929 %, with a 19-10-2 record.

Billy Girard

The Maine Mariners signed goaltender Bill Girard. He played his college hockey down I-95 a bit at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine. Girard finished his college career at Boston University, where he played in only one game in the 2024-2025 season. This season, Girard has been playing in the Southern Professional Hockey League with the Huntsville Havoc. He has played in seven games this year for the Havoc with a 3-2-1 record, a 3.34 goals against, and a .899 save percentage.

Summary

While losing Cavallin to Providence hurts, having a guy signed who had success locally in college is an interesting twist. The Mariners’ next game is Friday, December 19th and 20th against the Trois-Rivieres Lions at home.