“We were playing so well for the first 30 minutes. We got away from our structure. We had individual breakdowns and got beat one-on-one. There are no excuses on our end. I thought we would be a little tired from our three-in-three and them waiting for us, but we had a 4-1 lead. We went to sleep… They are a team that is struggling, and we gave it to them. That one is really going to hurt.”
– John Gruden
Where to start with this game recap? The Toronto Marlies dominated one of the worst teams in AHL history for 30 minutes and appeared set to coast to victory.
It is baffling why a Marlies team that had won two of its previous six games and has by no means secured a playoff berth became complacent. Maybe the three-in-three situation led to fatigue, but the Marlies didn’t just take their foot off the gas; they flat-out stopped competing, and this current roster isn’t good enough to rest on its laurels.
First Period
Playing a third game inside 72 hours, the Marlies brought high intensity and pace from the get-go. Near misses from Logan Shaw and Nick Abruzzese were followed by Cedric Paré hitting the post after good work from Luke Haymes.
The Marlies‘ momentum was slightly halted when Robert Mastrosimone took a high-sticking penalty, but Toronto created the only chance of note while shorthanded. Alex Steeves led a 2v1 and teed up Joseph Blandisi, but his tipped shot fluttered over the crossbar.
Relentless pressure eventually paid off with 6:19 remaining. A nice drive to the net through the middle of the defense by Zach Solow ended with Robert Mastrosimone finishing off a rebound after Joseph Blandisi was stopped from close range.
Toronto doubled their advantage 90 seconds later. Haymes read the play perfectly, picking off a pass from Adam Beckman in the middle of the Bridgeport zone. In alone on Hunter Miska, Haymes remained totally composed as he went forehand to backhand before lifting the puck up and over the goaltender’s left pad to score his first professional goal.
Artur Akhtyamov was far busier in the second half of the period. He needed to be on his mettle with a pair of stops on Cole Bardreau and Chris Terry from the slot, the best two saves of the 13 shots he turned aside in the opening 20 minutes.
Second Period
Shaw outbattled the defender on the forecheck at four-on-four action to start the middle frame, allowing Abruzzese to tee up William Villeneuve in the slot. Miska denied the latter but couldn’t prevent Shaw from finishing off the rebound after he worked himself loose from his check.
From Bridgeport’s point of view, it was a tough goal to concede as they stared down the barrel of another sizeable defeat. They hadn’t counted on Toronto’s hospitality 14 seconds later. A total joke of a giveaway in the defensive zone — Topi Niemela and Marshall Rifai weren’t on the same page under no pressure whatsoever — led to Cam Thiesing setting up Liam Foudy to make it 3-1.
The Marlies re-established their three-goal lead with the period just 94 seconds old. Haymes collected a breakout pass from Villeneuve and drove through the left side of the neutral zone and toward the faceoff dot. The rookie’s curl-and-drag wrist-shot handcuffed Miska, producing a rebound for Blandisi to sweep home.
Another goal wasn’t scored for 10 minutes, but the warning signs were there. The Marlies were sloppy on both sides of the puck as the game opened up into end-to-end action. Surprisingly, John Gruden didn’t call a timeout to drill to preempt his team’s shoddy game management.
The Sound Tigers benefited from the officials’ help in scoring their second goal. Beckman’s long-range shot was tipped in via Brian Pinho’s elevated stick in what should have been an obvious goal to wave off. For reasons best known to the league, the replay on the big screen— indicating the stick was above the crossbar—could not be viewed as evidence by the officials, and the goal stood.
Less than three minutes later, Bridgeport drew within one. A turnover in the Bridgeport zone resulted in Foudy picking up possession, and Villeneuve made an ill-advised stab at the puck as Foudy blew by him. Akhtyamov had no answer after he was hung out to dry again.
The momentum was now with the Islanders, and Toronto ended up on the penalty kill late in the frame. Quillan and Shaw combined, with the latter falling inches short of a shorthanded goal as the puck hovered above the goal line. Instead of regrouping, Toronto continued to hunt for a goal and handed Bridgeport an odd-man rush.
Akhtyamov pulled off a great save, but it was in vain. Toronto’s PK got beat through a gaping seam, and Beckman scored with a one-time shot from the right circle to tie the game at 4-4.
Third Period
The second intermission changed nothing from the Marlies’ perspective. Akhtyamov made two fantastic early saves on high-danger chances to rob Thiesing and Pinho, but the writing was on the wall.
The winning goal arrived 80 seconds into the final frame and won’t be good viewing in the game tape for the Marlies. Foudy spun away from Villeneuve, Shaw, and Nylander before driving to the slot. The Bridgeport forward was in All-Star mode as he delivered a reverse between-the-legs pass to Thiesing for a tap-in.
Bridgeport might have doubled their lead within five minutes had Foudy not struck the iron on a breakaway.
There was nothing in the way of a sustained response from the Marlies. There was a partial breakaway for Mastrosimone and a chance in the slot for Marshall as the trailer on a 3v2, but the finishing wasn’t there.
Miska only needed to make nine saves in the third period to secure his second win of the season (10 games).
Post Game Notes
– It’s one thing to produce a no-show performance in a tired situation and another to throw away a game after the team was in complete control. The Marlies need to bounce back on Wednesday (school day game) against Utica because Syracuse (two points), Cleveland (three points/one game in hand), and Belleville (six points/one game in hand) are all within striking distance.
– This defeat does not lay at the feet of Artur Akhtyamov, who was hung out to dry. John Gruden said he felt sorry for the young netminder after the team bailed on him. The Russian goaltender stopped 35 of 40 shots and needs to wipe this game from his memory.
“We hung him out to dry,” said Gruden. “It was actually a message to the guys. We had a really terrible 10 minutes, so let’s bail our goalie out. He was there for you guys. In the third, I still didn’t think we were very good… I actually feel bad for him, and I am sure our players do as well. We let him down.”
– It was a game of mixed emotions for Luke Haymes. He was one of the bright spots with his first professional goal, which he finished very well, and he recorded his first assist. His direct approach offensively is an asset, and it might help him keep his place in the lineup moving forward.
– Sunday’s lineup:
Forwards
Abruzzese – Shaw – Steeves
Barbolini – Quillan – Nylander
Hirvonen – Haymes – Paré
Mastrosimone – Blandisi – Solow
Defensemen
Mermis – Villeneuve
Rifai – Niemelä
Webber – Miller
Goaltenders
Akhtyamov
Hildeby
Post-Game Media Availability: John Gruden
Game Highlights: Sound Tigers 5 vs. Marlies 4
