“I thought we played probably one of the best third periods in a long time. Unfortunately, we still have to keep the puck out of our net. Our guys worked extremely hard, and sometimes, it’s not what play you make, but what you leave. We left the puck in some vulnerable spots to give them [Laval] opportunities, and they capitalized.”
– John Gruden
A normally stoic John Gruden sounded annoyed during the post-game presser after this 5-4 loss in Laval on Saturday. The Toronto Marlies twice threw away a lead and then gifted a regulation victory to Laval in the final minute after they appeared to salvage a point late in the third period.
First Period
Toronto appeared to abandon the game plan that worked in Friday’s win. For the opening 10 minutes, the Marlies turned possession over at will, inviting Laval to attack in waves.
The Rocket should have built a muti-goal lead before they finally broke the deadlock seconds before the midway mark. Another neutral-zone giveaway allowed Laval to transition at speed, as Owen Beck found Adam Engström just above the left circle in space. Matt Murray had time to set himself but was beaten cleanly by Engström’s low shot into the far corner.
On ‘Teddy Bear Toss Night,’ the crowd generously littered the ice with gifts, allowing Toronto to reset after a lengthy delay.
The Marlies were a different team from the restart of play and promptly tied the game up with a power-play tally. Alex Steeves ripped a one-timer from the right circle, a fitting way for him to become the all-time leading point scorer for the franchise.
The only disappointing part was that the Marlies couldn’t build on the tying goal. They frittered away further power-play opportunities, including 66 seconds of a 5-on-3.
Matt Murray left the game due to injury at the 15-minute mark (perhaps the reason he gave up a soft goal?) and was replaced by Dennis Hildeby.
Second Period
Toronto found their form in the middle frame, stifling Laval defensively while generating some good looks in search of a tying goal.
Hildeby produced a sharp save to deny Lucas Condetta on the Rocket’s lone scoring chance of the period, one of only six shots faced by Toronto’s netminder.
The Marlies took the lead courtesy of a well-worked goal with seven minutes remaining. Topi Niemelä and Matthew Barbolini orchestrated a break down the right wing, where Robert Mastrosimone’s speed turned the play into a 2v1. The winger did an excellent job of selling the pass to Sam Stevens long enough to ensure Connor Hughes stayed deep in his net before ripping the puck by the Laval goaltender.
An insurance marker late in the frame may have made all the difference. After breaking up a rare odd-man rush for Laval, Toronto hit on the counterattack, springing Steeves on a breakaway. Normally so clinical in this situation, Steeves sent his shot sailing over the crossbar.
Third Period
All the Marlies’ good work of the preceding 30 minutes was thrown away in a mistaken-laden third-period performance.
Matteo Pietroniro presented the puck to Beck in the high slot, where the Peterborough native took full advantage to tie the game at 2-2. Hildeby must have been frustrated after making a fantastic double-diving save only seconds before.
Hildeby denied Laval from notching a go-ahead goal 90 seconds later. On a set faceoff play, Alex Barre-Boulet uncorked a one-timer that the goaltender did well to cling onto.
The Swedish netminder kept the Rocket at bay, denying Beck and Jared Davidson from below the dots as defensive breakdowns plagued Toronto.
It was against the run of play when the Marlies re-established their lead with nine minutes remaining.
Mastrosimone intercepted a pass in the Marlies’ zone and used his speed to create a 2v2 situation. Stevens redirected Mastrosimone’s shot-come-pass, and Hughes made the initial save. However, the netminder could not prevent Mastrosimone from notching his second of the game with another tidy finish on the second effort.
Toronto immediately found themselves on the penalty kill after Steeves was called for boarding. Madness ensued as a 3-on-1 rush for the Marlies developed, but they made a mess of the situation, resulting in Laval scoring the other way on the break.
Laval then took the lead 76 seconds later on another gift. With Toronto caught running around in the defensive zone unable to clear their lines, Vincent Arseneau slotted past Hildeby to put the Rocket ahead for the first time in the contest.
Laval should have added an insurance marker with five minutes left. Presented with another odd-man rush, Laurent Dauphin looked set to score his second of the game and secure his team the two points, but a brilliant save by Hildeby robbed the Laval forward.
60 seconds later, Dakota Mermis produced an incredible shot block in the heart of the slot, which appeared to inspire the defenseman. With the extra ice afforded him during four-on-four action, Mermis drew a penalty after ghosting by a defender and attempting to set a 3v2 in motion.
Toronto capitalized only three seconds into the power play. Steeves whipped another one-time shot by Hughes to tie the game at 4-4.
It should have been enough to earn the Marlies a point and the chance of winning in overtime. With 20 seconds remaining, though, Toronto cleanly lost a defensive zone faceoff and allowed Beck to skate around the top of the dots before scoring with a low shot.
It’s one that Hildeby might want back in retrospect, but he deserved a better fate and more support than he received in the final frame.
Post Game Notes
– This is Toronto’s third regulation defeat of the season and first to a team not named Cleveland. Toronto has slipped to fourth in the North Division but is just five points back of first place with four games in hand.
– Robert Mastrosimone had scored just once heading into this game. He was rewarded for another dynamic performance of late with a brace of goals. Much of his offensive success last year was built on a meat-and-potatoes-type line alongside Josiah Slavin and Zach Solow. He’s found a connection point with Sam Stevens recently, something to build on moving forward.
– Congratulations to Alex Steeves on becoming the Toronto Marlies’ all-time leading point scorer. That he surpassed the record with a trademark one-time shot from the right circle is fitting. Steeves led all skaters with nine shots and has seven goals in the last four games. He is reaping the rewards of committing to improving aspects of his game that weren’t up to scratch.
– Head Equipment Manager Wil Burns worked his 1,000th pro game.
– Logan Shaw suited up for his 700th career professional (NHL/AHL) game (156 with the Toronto Marlies). He has also appeared in 20 career ECHL games.
– Saturday’s lineup:
Forwards
Abruzzese – Shaw – Steeves
Barbolini – Pare – Tverberg
Hirvonen – Quillan – Solow
Mastrosimone – Stevens
Defensemen
Kokkonen – Benning
Mermis – Miller
Pietroniro – Niemelä
Villeneuve
Goaltenders
Murray
Hildeby
