Advertisement
SCORING SUMMARY
TORONTO: M. Frattin (T. Brennan, B. Froese), M. Frattin (W. Nylander, T. Brennan), T. Brennan (B. Froese, W. Nylander), C. Brown (R. Rupert), G. McKegg (B. Froese)
GRAND RAPIDS: T. Pulkkinen (J. Hoggan, A. Miele), A. Miele (J. Hoggan, M. Zengerle)
MARLIES NOTES
- With his three point performance, TJ BRENNAN moves into second on the all-time playoff point leaders for the Toronto Marlies (18). Brennan scored the game winner and added two assists in this afternoon’s game.
- MATT FRATTIN scored twice, his first points this postseason. Frattin now has totaled 15 playoff points moving him into a tie for fifth all time on the Marlies playoff point leaders.
- BYRON FROESE collected three assists, giving him four points the past 2 games.
- CHRISTOPHER GIBSON made 26 saves, including many key stops during a full five on three disadvantage late in the third, to secure his second victory of the series.
- CONNOR BROWN scored his first goal of the post season, an empty net effort to seal the victory
- The Marlies power play went 2/4 while the penalty kill was 3/4
- The Marlies played in front of a sell-out crowd of 7, 851 fans at Ricoh Coliseum. Yesterday’s game was attended by 7, 706 fans bringing the two day total to 15, 557.
- The Marlies now take a 2-0 series lead to Grand Rapids where they will try to close out the best of five series.
– Marlies.ca
***
Monday Links:
- Kyle Cicerella: Marlies ride special teams to 2-0 series lead on Grand Rapids (Kyle The Reporter)
Toronto’s penalty kill came up big when needed most, though, and its power play produced at the right time in Game 2 as the Marlies came from behind for a 5-2 win on Sunday for a 2-0 series lead.
I - Andrew Wainwright: Changes on the horizon for the St. Louis Blues (isportsweb)
While this is not entirely Hitchcock’s fault, Hitchcock could have made changes to the Blues roster or influenced the decisions of General Manager Doug Armstrong to better St. Louis’ chances. Hitchcock’s contract expires at the end of this season, so it is very possible that his contract is not renewed.
I
Ryan Dadoun: Shattenkirk expects changes, but he supports Hitchcock (Pro Hockey Talk)
“I guess if you watch the game and you don’t just look at the stat sheet, the core group has been playing some pretty good games since the playoffs,” Oshie said, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jeremy Rutherford. “We’ve been doing a lot of things that Hitch has been asking us to do, and for whatever reason we haven’t gotten the goals… We just haven’t gotten the goals.”
I - Ron Clements: Latest playoff collapse is nothing new to the Blues (Sporting News)
Since losing to the Avalanche in the 2001 Western Conference finals, the Blues have been to the playoffs eight times, but only advanced out of the first round twice.
I - James Mirtle: Modern NHL general managers need to be smart, rational and ruthless (The Globe and Mail)
On the good teams, what often costs the GM is loyalty, an issue that goes well beyond Boston. Imagine the group the Los Angeles Kings would have right now if Dean Lombardi had used the appropriate compliance buyout on Mike Richards and never signed captain Dustin Brown to his ridiculous contract?
I
