“I thought we were outstanding in the first and good in the third. That’s what good teams do; they have to play two really good periods. We are very excited about our win, and all the credit goes to the guys and the special teams, which were outstanding.”
– John Gruden
“It’s a team award. The only thing is now I have to cancel my trip to Florida (laughs). I’m excited to go and represent our group. They’ve done an outstanding job to get me into this game.”
– Gruden on Toronto finishing the year with the best record in the division, earning him coaching honours for the North Division at the 2025 AHL All-Star Event
This was the least stereotypical of all the Toronto Marlies‘ comeback victories this season, as the team actually started the game really well. The Marlies were excellent in the first period, but after they could not build a substantial lead, they paid for defensive breakdowns in the middle frame. The never-say-die attitude of the group shone through in the third period, as the Marlies were good value to end 2024 on a high note with a 4-3 victory in Belleville.
First Period
The expectation was Belleville would come out firing after their shutout loss on Boxing Day. The Marlies did not let it transpire, taking the game by the scruff of the neck from the get-go and dictating the pace of play.
Fraser Minten could not capitalize on a breakaway just 30 seconds in when Malcolm Subban turned aside the rookie’s backhand, five-hole attempt and followed that up with two more stops in the opening three minutes.
Neither Cédric Paré nor Jacob Quillan buried their opportunities from the slot as Toronto let the Senators off the hook.
The Marlies continued to dominate possession and zone time but were guilty of not driving inside to generate high-danger scoring chances. When the breakthrough did arrive, the opening goal was somewhere between a gift from the Senators and opportunistic by Kyle Clifford.
Matthew Highmore settled down the puck in the defensive zone and scanned for breakout options, oblivious that Clifford was closing from behind. The veteran forward separated Highmore from the puck and delivered a low finish from the hashmark.
Against the run of play, Belleville tied the game on their second shot with six minutes remaining in the frame. Djibril Toure’s point shot was tipped in front by Hayden Hodgson, sending the puck up and over the shoulder of Dennis Hildeby.
Second Period
Toronto got off to a fast start to the second period. Matt Benning saw his shot turned away after finding space down low, and Alex Nylander couldn’t bat home the midair rebound. The play ended abruptly after Benning was called for interference.
Toronto’s special teams came to the rescue, killing off the penalty before netting on the power play at the five-minute mark. William Villeneuve found the twine with a seeing-eye point shot to restore the Marlies’ lead, with a special mention to Clifford for an effective screen in front.
The Marlies appeared in command of the game and were likelier to score next. Jacob Quillan deserved a better outcome on an excellent individual drive to the net. The rookie beat two defenders and drove across the crease, but he was denied by Subban and the post.
What followed would have driven John Gruden nuts as the Marlies gifted the Senators two goals in 31 seconds.
Villeneuve was turned inside out by Stephen Halliday in the right circle, resulting in Garrett Pilon scoring from a cross-slot pass.
Zack MacEwen caught up to a long stretch pass on the left side and chipped the puck up and over Topi Niemelä before catching it and cutting inside the Finnish defenseman. Cade Webber couldn’t quite get over in time to bail his partner out, as MacEwen’s one-time finish gave Hildeby no chance. Despite getting outplayed, the Senators now led 3-2.
Toronto almost responded from the restart of play, but Joseph Blandisi struck the post with Subban beaten.
The top line created a 3v2 break late in the frame, but Alex Steeves fired wide of the target.
Third Period
Another strong start to a period by the Marlies resulted in a well-work goal. Gruden reverting to the young guns on the third line paid dividends within three minutes.
Roni Hirvonen won the race to the dump-in by Quillan and immediately found Robert Mastrosimone down low, where the latter beautifully delivered the puck into Quillan’s wheelhouse in the left circle to tie it up.
Toronto dodged a bullet four minutes later after a turnover by Steeves put his team in trouble. Hildeby robbed Wyatt Bongiovanni, not once but twice, to keep the game tied.
Belleville took an unnecessary penalty seconds later, and Toronto made them pay.
A flubbed one-time shot by Steeves ended up below the goal line with Nick Abruzzese. With Subban still readjusting after anticipating the shot, Abruzzese cleverly banked the puck in off the netminder’s pads.
Belleville struggled to generate quality scoring chances except when the Marlies made mistakes. One such defensive zone turnover led to a melee in which Jeremy Davies struck the crossbar.
The Marlies couldn’t make it a perfect 3-for-3 with the extra attacker, but at 5v5, they created two chances to score an insurance marker on the same shift.
Opportunities on a breakaway for Barbolini and Paré from the hashmarks weren’t converted with the game hanging in the balance.
Toronto was outshot 9-1 in the final 5:30 of regulation but stood firm, allowing just one Grade-A scoring chance for Highmore, which Hildeby dealt with. The Swedish goaltender turned aside 20 shots in the third period to ensure Toronto won their last game of the calendar year to send their head coach to the AHL All-Star game.
Post Game Notes
– Per Marlies PR: With a record of 17-5-2-3, the Marlies hold the club’s third-best winning percentage (0.722) as of Dec. 31 in franchise history. Toronto is now 3-0-2 against Belleville.
– John Gruden has an all-time record of 51-31-12-5 as head coach of the Marlies. It’ll be his second appearance at an All-Star Game after representing Grand Rapids as a player in 2002.
– Special teams were key to success in this game, as they were in Toronto’s Boxing Day win. The Marlies went 2-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
– Dennis Hildeby recorded his first back-to-back wins of the season. His 35-save performance was his highest total in a single game this season, improving his save percentage to .916.
– Nick Abruzzese recorded his third game-winning goal of the season. The winger has points in 13 of his last 15 games but, most recently, is on a four-game point streak (2G/3A). This was his first multi-point game of the season (1G/1A).
– It wasn’t his most dominant performance this season, but Alex Steeves still recorded two assists, extending his latest point streak to five games (2G/4A).
– With the important tying goal to begin the third period, Jacob Quillan stretched his point streak to six games (2G/4A).
– Braeden Kressler has been reassigned to the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL).
– Logan Shaw scored twice in the second period in Team Canada’s 6-3 win over Straubing at the Spengler Cup. He was named Team Canada’s UBS Key Player.
– Last but not least, I’d like to wish all MLHS readers the very best for 2025. Thank you for your continued support of my work and that of all the site’s other contributors through 2024.
– Saturday’s lineup:
Forwards
Abruzzese – Minten – Steeves
Grebenkin – Blandisi – Nylander
Clifford – Quillan – Barbolini
Mastrosimone – Paré – Hirvonen
Defensemen
Kokkonen – Benning
Rifai – Villeneuve
Webber – Niemelä
Goaltenders
Hildeby
Akhtyamov
