The Toronto Marlies schedule doesn’t feature many midweek games throughout the season. After this road tilt in Albany on Tuesday, they’ll be glad that’s the case.
The main talking point of the game didn’t feature any player, coach, or even the officials. It was the terrible state of the ice surface. In order to resolve a double-booking, Albany moved the game back 24 hours — ordinarily no problem, but Times Union hosted an Arena Cross event on Monday, leaving little time to transform the arena back to a hockey rink.
The playing surface was cut up badly during the warmups and the officials wanted to call the game off after 20 minutes of play. You wouldn’t have blamed Sheldon Keefe for wanting to abandon the game, which would have placed the AHL and the Albany Devils in a difficult spot. Thankfully, ostensibly no player wound up hurt due to the playing conditions.
First Period
Toronto really struggled to come to terms with the ice for the most part. Their powerplay two minutes into the game was a prime example, with the puck skipping off sticks, passes going astray and the Marlies barely managing to set up in the Devils zone. The home team adapted far better and were keen to shoot on sight.
Toronto nonetheless took an early lead courtesy of a turnover caused by some snow along the boards. Byron Froese picked up the loose puck and skated around the back of the net before spinning and shooting in one fluid movement. The top shelf attempt from the left faceoff dot beat Ken Appleby blocker side with nine minutes on the clock.
Both teams came to close scoring shorthanded as a result of back-to-back powerplays with six minutes remaining in the opening period. Kasperi Kapanen saw the puck skip off the end of his stick at the end of a rush, while Albany’s Miles Wood was denied by a fine save by Antoine Bibeau.
Back at even strength, Tobias Lindberg gained a head of steam and powered by two Devils players, but Appleby smothered the five-hole attempt.
Second Period
The Devils flew out of the blocks to start the middle frame, with Bibeau having to be on his game to turn away Blandisi followed by Rod Pelley on a breakaway. Toronto also took a penalty 3:30 into the period, but Bibeau came to the rescue with his team down a man.
With the shot count favouring the home team 14-7, the Devils were simply outworking the Marlies in the unfavourable conditions, playing a simple but effective brand of hockey.
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The turning moment of the game came nine minutes into the middle frame and it proved controversial. Milan Michalek was called for a double-minor high-sticking penalty despite no official on the ice noticing it initially — only later, once the officials noticed the player left strewn on the ice next to a puddle of blood, was a call made.
Andrew Campbell was visibly upset with officials, but the penalties stood and Albany scored on the second part of their powerplay opportunity. Mozik fired past Bibeau with a bullet of a shot that appeared to clip the inside of the post before crossing the goal line.
For the two and a half minutes following the tying goal, Toronto generated a credible pushback, hemming Albany deep inside their zone. There was no go-ahead marker forthcoming, however, with Justin Holl denied by a pad save and Brendan Leipsic frustrated by his stick breaking on a one-time effort from the right circle.
Third Period
After escaping the late second-period surge from the visitors, Albany had to hang in tight again early in the third. Kapanen attempted to score a copy of Froese’s goal, while Andrew Nielsen and Leipsic were denied on a Marlies powerplay 1:15 into the period.
Gifted some space on the rush, Albany made Toronto pay the price with 15 minutes to go. After Wood raced away on a 2-on-1 break, Bibeau made the initial save but was unable to get himself back in position before Coleman tucked the puck just past his right skate on the wraparound attempt.
Trailing 2-1, the Marlies were fortunate not to fall further behind when Kevin Rooney contrived to miss an open net in front before Blandisi hit the crossbar.
Another poor call from the officials handed Toronto a powerplay with 12 minutes remaining, but the Marlies couldn’t capitalize despite two chances for Kapanen, a tip from Rychel, and one look for Milan Michalek.
That proved to be the Marlies’ last chance to take anything from the game as Albany netted their third just seconds after the penalty expired. A poor change and some slow reactions from the Marlies allowed Rooney to skate in alone down the right before crashing the net and rounding Bibeau for the insurance marker.
Blandisi hit the crossbar once more in a carbon copy play from earlier in the game with a little over six minutes to play, but from that moment on the home team did as they’re known to do — clogged the neutral zone and dumped the puck in deep, giving the Marlies nothing offensively. Bibeau was pulled with over three minutes to play but it made little difference as Albany comfortably ran out the clock.
Post Game Notes
– Even allowing for the conditions, Sheldon Keefe was not happy with the Marlies effort in this game, stating that “both teams had to play on it” and that the Devils “simply out-worked and out-played us.”
– Byron Froese struck his eighth goal of the season (unassisted), tying him for the team lead in goals with Kasperi Kapanen.
– Toronto was unable to generate sustained pressure offensively, testing Ken Appleby on just 24 occasions.
– The defeat marked a third straight loss for Antoine Bibeau, but he kept his team in the game with 29 saves.
– Tobias Lindberg returned to game action after missing two games due to injury.
– Toronto’s road record falls to below .500, now 3-4-0-1.
Game Highlights
Sheldon Keefe Post Game
Devils 3 vs. Marlies 1 – Game Sheet
| SKATER | POS | G | A | PIM | Shots | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell, Andrew | D | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -1 |
| Valiev, Rinat | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 |
| Holl, Justin | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Loov, Viktor | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nielsen, Andrew | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Wrenn, William | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Smith, Colin | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Froese, Byron | C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Johnsson, Andreas | LW | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Clune, Richard | LW | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michalek, Milan | LW | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Leipsic, Brendan | LW | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Laich, Brooks | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| Kapanen, Kasperi | RW | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Rychel, Kerby | LW | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Lindberg, Tobias | LW | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | -2 |
| Greening, Colin | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| Timashov, Dmytro | LW | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -1 |
