Game Review: Providence Bruins 3 vs. Toronto Marlies 2 (OT)

It was never going to be an easy task on the road against the Providence Bruins.

They don’t accept defeat often at home, and were unbeaten in regulation during their last 22 home games heading into this Saturday night tilt.

In truth, Toronto were the better team for the majority of the game and should have been able to claim the two points.

The fourth line led by Frederick Gauthier set an excellent opening tone for the Marlies as they pinned the Bruins inside their own zone — so much so they were able to bring fresh legs into the cycle through a change — but the first shot on net was well held by Zane McIntyre between the pipes.

It took just three and a half minutes for Toronto to reap the reward of their early dominance, taking an early lead for the second night running.

Toronto won the battle in the corner before Brendan Leipsic’s perfect feed found Matt Frattin, who reminded us that he still owns a wicked shot with a snipe from one knee.

Providence tried to push back a little after the first timeout of the game, but Sam Carrick’s line responded by taking back control.

Kasperi Kapanen took his time to measure a shot through traffic that flew over the shoulder of McIntyre to make it 2-0 Marlies at the eight minute mark.

Toronto were threatening to make it three, with Eric Faille testing McIntyre after finding some space down the right while Leipsic and Carrick somehow failed to score in tight with the Bruins scrambling.

Sam Carrick headed down the tunnel for a while after taking a nasty-looking hit on the right boards, but he reentered the game looking none the worse for wear.

Tobias Lindberg, playing with some confidence right now, was gifted some room on the left and let loose a powerful shot but McIntyre was equal to the effort.

A passenger for the majority of the first 20 minutes, Bibeau wasn’t really called into action until six minutes remaining with a smart double save to keep the lead intact.

A pair of matching penalties saw the period finish with some four on four hockey, where the Marlies were firmly on top. A blast from T.J Brennan was well stopped before Connor Brown’s attempted tip on a Justin Holl shot was turned aside by McIntyre.

Toronto will rue not taking the chances they created in the first ten minutes of the middle frame, when they continued to remain firmly in control of the game. An early turnover presented Andrew Campbell with possession in a promising position, but his effort was well blocked. Josh Leivo hasn’t had much luck in front of goal this weekend, denied again from the slot after fine work from linemates Brett Findlay and Connor Brown behind the net.

For what seemed like the better part of two minutes, the Marlies once again owned possession in the Bruins zone, frustrating the home team and managing to get fresh bodies on even with the long change.

Eric Faille’s tenacious play saw him strip the puck off a defenseman in front of the Bruins net, but somehow McIntyre was able to get a tiny piece of his gear on the shot after looking down and out on the play.

Bibeau turned aside his first shot of the period 60 seconds later before Toronto orchestrated an odd-man rush the other way. Frattin decided to ignore his teammate and whistled a shot just wide of the far top corner — another missed opportunity.

The Bruins were beginning to find their feet slowly but surely, forcing Bibeau into a fine save from a wraparound attempt.

Once again the Marlies responded in kind, with Findlay providing Leivo with another gilt-edge chance in front but he was robbed by McIntyre once more.

A jaw-dropping turnover from Brennan presented the Bruins with a gift in front of Bibeau, but Toronto’s goaltender made an incredible first save and watched in relief as the rebound was fired wide of the post.

The tide had turned as Providence were coming hard at the Malies for the final eight minutes. Bibeau was called on 14 times during the middle frame, and he had some fortune on his side after misplaying the puck from behind his own net. The intended pass evaded Marlies players and fell to Colby Cave, who contrived to miss the yawning cage before Bibeau had recovered.

A wraparound attempt from Justin Hickman with 90 seconds remaining was the home team’s last real chance of the period, but Bibeau did well to cling on despite being clearly hacked at.

Toronto failed to heed the warning signs from the second period and were unable to stop the Bruins runaway train in the final frame. Leading goal scorer Frank Vatrano had been kept fairly quiet up until this point, but he orchestrated the play from the blueline that enabled Austin Czarnik to tee up Alexander Khokhlachev for his 17th of the season.

Some calm was needed to keep a rampant Bruins team at bay, but the Marlies gifted them a tying goal 78 seconds later. With Holl guilty of a bad pinch on the play, Providence were the beneficiaries of a 2-on-1 break. Brian Ferlin fed the cross-ice pass to defenseman Colin Miller, who Bibeau met with a terrific initial stop. Unfortunately, the puck fell back for Ferlin to tap home from the side of the net, and the game was tied not even four minutes into the third period.

Eventually the Marlies were able to calm the water a little, but they were generating next to nothing offensively. Neither team had been afforded a powerplay until 8:41 to play, when a high-sticking infraction on Leipsic presented Toronto with a double minor. The Bruins special teams are excellent, and the Marlies never really tested McIntyre.

The three-man officiating crew had an interesting game to say the least. It was no surprise when they awarded the Bruins a powerplay with four minutes to play. In fairness, it was a reckless roughing penalty by Brennan, who should know better at that stage of the game. A big save by Bibeau, along with brave shot blocking from Gauthier and Campbell, ensured the Marlies survived the penalty.

The Marlies created the last best opportunity during regulation time, but Leipsic and Smith couldn’t capitalize on a rebound out in front. On the same play, Leivo was hammered to the ice after the whistle, which was somehow deemed unworthy of a penalty that would’ve put Toronto on the powerplay for 1:25 of overtime.

In extra time, Providence set about claiming the extra point and Bibeau was sharp to turn aside Czarnik, who was a constant thorn throughout, as he raced away on net alone. Brennan made a diving play defensively, but the Bruins forward got his shot away no problem. The officials presented Czarnik with a penalty shot regardless — a bizarre turn of events, but some justice was served as Bibeau once more made a fine save away to his right to keep the game alive.

Connor Brown was robbed by McIntyre — who was excellent in this game — in the Marlies’ best chance of OT.

After Ferlin won it in overtime for Providence with his second goal of the game, Toronto was left wondering how they didn’t take this one in regulation.

Post Game Notes

– Antoine Bibeau made 35 saves and was unfortunate to take the loss.

– Matt Frattin’s goal was his 30th point of the season.

– Brett Findlay replaced an unwell Mark Arcobello in the lineup.

– Josh Leivo had just two shots on net, but both were fantastic opportunities from the slot. He’s been a little snake-bitten since his return, with one goal in six games.

– With an assist on the second goal, Colin Smith recorded his tenth point for Toronto in just nine games.

Marlies Player Stats — Providence 3 vs. Toronto 2 (OT)

Game Highlights

Sheldon Keefe Post Game