Toronto Marlies Week in Review: November 16

Toronto’s inconsistent play on the road so far this season was encapsulated in a pair of games against Atlantic Division teams this past weekend.

First up on Friday was the league-leading Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, who’ve built their success on a solid defensive foundation. It was the Marlies who were the better team in every facet — including defence — allowing just 19 shots on goal after 60 minutes.

Kerby Rychel finally lifted the monkey off his back, netting twice in the first period to send Toronto on their way. Frederik Gauthier scored on a rebound just 4:30 into the second period and the Marlies would have at least doubled their three-goal lead if not for the brilliance of Tristan Jerry in the Penguins net. Antoine Bibeau played another strong game at the other end to notch a shutout in the 3-0 victory.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have a roster stacked with experienced offensive talent and they were looking to make a statement against Toronto on Saturday. The Phantoms were simply more clinical than the Marlies, seizing upon their opportunities to build a 2-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes, while Toronto seemingly left their strong defensive play behind in WBS.

The Marlies gave up a late penalty in the first period which led to a power play goal just 12 seconds into the second period. The Marlies were a better team for the majority of the middle frame and scored once through Byron Froese, but they missed a host of other chances to close the gap.

The third period was an embarrassment for the Marlies as Lehigh struck four times and could have reached double figures if not for Bibeau, who was left out to dry by his teammates. The game finished 7-2, with Milan Michalek netting the second Marlies goal.

Toronto’s Royal Winter Fair road trip is now over and that comes as welcome news for a Marlies team that has so far struggled on their travels (3-3-0-1 record and a minus-five goal differential away from Ricoh Coliseum). Thanks to a perfect home record, Toronto sits second in the Eastern Conference behind WBS Pens and fourth in the AHL overall.

The penalty kill continues to be a source of concern; after the weekend, it has dropped to 76.6%, ranked 25th in the league. Toronto isn’t helping their cause in terms of their discipline as they are averaging the sixth-most powerplays against in the league at a rate over five per game.

Away from Toronto, the Orlando Solar Bears parted company with Head Coach Anthony Noreen this week. Drake Berehowsky has been re-hired, having coached the Solar Bears during the 2012-13 season. Orlando has struggled on home ice with just two wins in seven games and owns a .500 record overall.

Player News

– Antoine Bibeau recorded his third shutout of the season during the win against WBS Pens. Even though he took a shelling in Lehigh, there’s only one goal he could take any blame for, and even then his defence failed to bail him out when the puck was loose in his crease.

– Garret Sparks was the back-up on both occasions over the weekend; somewhat surprisingly, he wasn’t given the start in Lehigh. He’s started just one of the last nine games, although some of that is due to injury.

– After a visit from Marlies goaltending coach Piero Greco, Kasimir Kaskisuo recorded his first professional shutout in Orlando Saturday night. The Finnish goaltender also played well on Sunday despite taking a loss. If there are issues with Sparks, perhaps there is some possibility the two will be swapped.

– Kerby Rychel was finally rewarded for his consistent efforts by breaking his goals drought. He was unfortunate not to claim a hat-trick or more against WBS. Hopefully, he can now kick on with extra confidence having found the net.

– Milan Michalek notched his first Marlies point and then goal over the weekend. He’s certainly proving himself as one of the better veterans on the Marlies right now after a bit of a slow start.

– Byron Froese notched his sixth goal of the season, placing him just one behind Kasperi Kapanen for the team lead.

– Trevor Moore was back in the line-up for the first time since October 29. The rookie replaced Colin Greening and has made noticeable strides forward this season already. He’s riding a three-game point streak and his performance against Lehigh (one bright spot in a dire game) will make it tough for Sheldon Keefe to consider leaving him out for the next outing.

– Brendan Leipsic continues to lead the AHL scoring race (17), but only by a single point now. Two assists last weekend extends his point streak to five games.

– Josh Leivo’s conditioning stint will officially be over on Saturday after an extension was granted. He is pointless through four games, registering eight shots during that time. His best performance was against WBS, where he was unfortunate not to get on the score sheet.

– Travis Dermott continues to be an injury absentee with no word on his status or timeline for a return. William Wrenn has been suiting up regularly in Dermott’s place.

– Colin Greening was a healthy scratch for the first time this season and could be spending some time on the sidelines with Trevor Moore and Rich Clune desperate for an opportunity.

Upcoming Schedule

St. John’s IceCaps @ Toronto Marlies — Saturday, November 19, 5:00 p.m. EST
St. John’s IceCaps @ Toronto Marlies — Sunday, November 20, 3:00 p.m. EST

Toronto Marlies Player Stats — November 16