“It was a much better first period, and I thought we managed the whole game well. We were patient and took advantage of our opportunities.”
– John Gruden
The Marlies could not have put more of an exclamation mark on an impressive three-in-three weekend. Facing a struggling Utica team looking to find its stride this season, the Marlies produced a full 60-minute performance in which they bested the Comets in every facet.
First Period
The opening frame was frenetic, with hardly any whistles interrupting the flow.
Events at the four-minute mark perfectly encapsulated the period. Cade Webber made a tremendous defensive diving play at one end that denied a certain goal before, seconds later, Alex Nylander escaped the Comets’ defense and was turned aside by a good save by Nico Daws.
Zach Solow, Jacob Quillan, and Nylander could not convert on further quality scoring chances, and in between times, Toronto easily killed off the first penalty.
The opening goal took until the 17th minute to arrive, but it was worth the wait. The build-up play was excellent, as Ryan Tverberg, Nikita Grebenkin, and Cedric Paré combined for a pretty goal. Grebenkin’s perfect pass to the back post set up Paré, who only needed to hit the target to score.
Toronto killed off a second penalty late in the frame to keep the lead intact and set about taking the game away from Utica in the middle frame.
Second Period
Toronto’s third line struck two minutes into the second period with another beautifully worked goal. Paré was again the goal-scoring beneficiary of the combination of Tverberg and Grebenkin.
Roni Hirvonen, Alex Steeves, Solow, Quillan, and Nylander all went close to extending the lead, but Nico Daws was bringing his A-game to keep Utica afloat.
Artur Akhtyamov demonstrated his ability to stay sharp and focused in the middle frame. He barely faced a shot of note until he robbed Chase Stillman from the slot with five minutes remaining.
Third Period
Akhtyamov made a smart blocker save to turn aside Nathan Légaré at the three-minute mark, and the rookie goaltender only faced three more shots afterward. He made another top-draw save to deny a high-danger scoring chance and easily dealt with the two others to record his first career AHL shutout.
Akhtyamov’s life was made easier by Toronto shutting down the game and scoring insurance markers to deflate a Utica team short on confidence.
Nylander kept up his scoring streak by netting his fifth of the campaign on the power play. It was another measured finish from a player who continues to gain confidence with every game.
Solow filed a fantastic performance and had nothing to show on the scoreboard for his endeavours, but he drew the penalty that resulted in Grebenkin opening his goal account on the power play. Joseph Blandisi and Nick Abruzzese were the architects of the rookie’s first AHL goal before fishing the puck out of the net for the young man to keep.
Post Game Notes
– The victory marked the 14th occasion in franchise history in which Toronto has swept a three-in-three series. The Marlies have outscored opponents 10-2 in the second period and 8-2 in the third so far this season.
– Artur Akhtyamov picked up his first career AHL shutout with 17 saves as he showed another side to his game. Yes, there were a couple of athletic saves, but more importantly, he remained mentally dialed in despite facing just eight shots through the final 40 minutes.
“[Akhtyamov] looks calm for a first year,” said Gruden. “He has great composure. Nothing seems to really rattle him. He can handle the traffic. He just has that quiet confidence. It has been a great start.”
– Third-line stat pack as per Toronto Marlies PR: Nikita Grebenkin picked up his first career AHL goal and notched three points (1-2-3), Cédric Paré recorded his fourth career multi-goal game and his first GWG with Toronto, and Ryan Tverberg matched his game-high in assists (3).
I’ve been waxing lyrical about this line since they were put together, and a performance of this nature felt like a matter of time. Tverberg is showing that his success as a rookie wasn’t just down to his partnership with Kieffer Bellows. Grebenkin is oozing confidence, and his willingness to attack defenders and beat them on both sides of the ice had Utica floundering.
“It took [Grebenkin] a little bit of time to get used to the speed, and it’s a little bit more chaotic when everything happens quicker on a smaller rink,” said Gruden. “But once he gets used to it, you can see the vision. The plays he made on both of the goals were outstanding in tight with traffic. It was a coming-out party for the line. They were dangerous all night.”
– Alex Nylander’s power-play tally was his fifth goal in as many games.
– Yet to find the net this season, Logan Shaw is contributing in other ways with a team-high point total of seven assists.
– Sunday’s lineup:
Forwards
Abruzzese – Shaw – Nylander
Hirvonen – Blandisi – Steeves
Grebenkin – Paré – Tverberg
Mastrosimone – Quillan – Solow
Defensemen
Rifai – Kokkonen
Webber – Villeneuve
Pietroniro – Niemelä
Goalies
Akhtyamov
Peksa
