“We played extremely well. There were moments in this game that I liked more than any game this season. The first 10 minutes were outstanding, and we got a two-goal lead… We got into some penalties, and they scored two power-play goals there. But I liked a lot of our game. [Vyacheslav] Peksa made some big saves, and I’m just glad we were able to get out of there with the two points.”
– John Gruden
The Toronto Marlies should have won this game comfortably in regulation. They dominated for extended stretches against the North Division’s bottom dwellers, but they allowed the Utica Comets to stick around long enough to mount a late comeback and force extra time.
First Period
The Marlies were in complete control for the first 11 minutes of the opening frame, although they had just one goal to show for it. Utica couldn’t cope with a persistent forecheck from a hungry Toronto team that shut down every breakout attempt by the Comets.
Logan Shaw should have opened the scoring just a minute in, following a fortunate bounce off the boards from Bo Groulx’s shot. The line didn’t have to wait much longer for a breakthrough, though. Groulx opened the scoring at the four-minute mark with a low snipe from the right circle after hard work from Shaw created the opportunity.
The Marlies didn’t generate a ton of high-danger scoring chances despite extended offensive-zone time. When Utica finally came alive offensively, they threatened to erase Toronto’s bright start. Vyacheslav Peksa was sharp despite facing no early action, robbing Tag Bertuzzi, Nathan Légaré, and Jack Malone from the slot.
Toronto responded by drawing consecutive penalties with seven seconds of overlap. The power play looked fantastic against Belleville on Boxing Day, but it didn’t carry over in this game. A wraparound attempt by Borya Valis was the closest they came to doubling the lead.
Second Period
The Marlies killed off a penalty carrying over from the previous period, but they headed right back to the box when Noah Chadwick was called for tripping. There appeared to be a momentum-swinging moment in the Marlies‘ favour when Shaw escaped on a shorthanded breakaway, but Nico Daws turned aside a backhand attempt by Toronto’s captain.
On their next offensive foray, Utia tied the game. The Comets were clearly looking to set up the one-timer for Cam Squires, but the Marlies’ PK couldn’t take it away, and Peksa couldn’t come up with the short-side save as the Utica forward tied the game at 1-1.
On the restart, Utica’s breakdown led to a 3v1 situation, but Toronto misplayed it. Groulx still ended up with two chances on the play, but he couldn’t bury either. There was no sulking by the Marlies, who retook the lead via Shaw as the top line continued to enjoy one of its better games of late.
At the seven-minute mark, Utica rode their luck when a speculative shot on the spin from Michael Pezzetta hit the post and bounced out with Daws beaten.
The Marlies mustered a much better power-play effort than their first-period attempt and should have scored. Daws robbed Luke Haymes and Valis with spectacular saves. Both knew they should have buried the opportunities from close range.
Against the run of play, Utica threatened to tie the game in the final seconds of the period. Xavier Parent and Jonathan Gruden brought the best out of Peksa as Toronto’s netminder kept their slim lead intact.
Third Period
Pezzetta struck 14 seconds into the third period, finishing off the rebound in the crease from a Reese Johnson effort to give Toronto a 3-1 lead.
Toronto could and should have made it a 4-1 game at the three-minute mark. Valis created the zone entry with more tenacious work before William Villenueve’s point shot generated a second opportunity that Haymes couldn’t bury past Daws from point-blank range.
The remainder of regulation time became a special-teams battle, which didn’t favour Toronto, as it turned out. The Marlies killed the first penalty of the frame, and fresh out of the box, Marshall Rifai should have netted Toronto’s fourth. Ryan Tverberg was the architect with hard work down low, but Daws denied Rifai from the slot.
The Marlies generated nothing on their next man-advantage and were quickly back on the penalty kill afterward. An outstanding save from Peksa on Gruden prevented Utica from drawing within one.
Back at five-on-five, Shane Lachance took a pass down low from Kyle Criscuolo and spun inside Rifai, who scrambled to apply a cross-check from behind but couldn’t prevent Lachance from getting the shot off, and Peksa got caught attempting an unsuccessful poke check in tight.
As mentioned several times in this space, the Marlies haven’t had much luck with curious decisions from officials this season. That was again the case when Utica scored with three seconds remaining to take the game to overtime. A debatable too-many-men penalty on Toronto sent the Coments to a 6-on-4 situation for the final 1:37.
There was more than a whiff of a high-stick when Lachance knocked in the tying goal on a rebound from Criscuolo’s initial shot. It’s not video reviewable in the AHL, and the four-person officiating crew showed little interest in debating the legality of the goal.
Overtime/Shootout
Both teams struck the iron in the first minute of the overtime frame. That’s as close to a winning goal as we got at three-on-three, with only one shot officially recorded. Utica owned the puck for the majority of the period, but they didn’t do nearly enough to turn possession into scoring chances, even with a power-play opportunity in the final minute. Toronto’s strong penalty-killing effort ensured a shootout was required.
Luke Haymes and Lenni Hämeenaho were first up in the shootout, and both scored before the goaltenders took center stage. Matthew Barbolini scored on Toronto’s ninth attempt, and Peksa came up with his eighth save to secure the extra point.
Post Game Notes
– The Marlies’ record improved to 15-13-1-1 this season. They moved into fourth in a tightly contested North Division where six points separate second from sixth place.
– All three forwards on the Marlies’ top line recorded a two-point haul (Logan Shaw 1/G1A, Bo Groulx 1G/1A, Vinni Lettieri 2A). Overall, it was a much better showing from the veteran trio, who kept their game simple and direct rather than looking for the extravagant play.
– The Marlies’ shootout win and three five-on-five goals were enough to overcome a tough day on special teams: 0-for-4 on the power play, and 4-for-6 on the penalty kill.
– This was Vyacheslav Peksa’s second shootout this season. He’s stopped 14 of 15 attempts for an impressive .933 save percentage during the skills competitions.
– Matthew Barbolini‘s shootout winner came on his first professional attempt. Michael Pezzetta’s goal was his first for the Toronto Marlies.
– After a months-long rehab following wrist surgery, Marshall Rifai played his first game since the Leafs‘ preseason. Rifai has since cleared waivers as of Monday afternoon.
“I thought [Rifai] looked really good,” said Gruden. “He played extremely smart. He started well. He made some big plays at moments when defending. He covers so much ice with his feet, stick, and the way he competes out there. It’s just good to have him back in the lineup.”
– Saturday’s lineup:
Forwards
Groulx – Shaw – Lettieri
Paré – Quillan – Tverberg
Barbolini – Haymes – Valis
Pezzetta – Johnstone – Johnson
Defensemen
Smith – Benning
Rifai – Villeneuve
Chadwick – Sharpe
Goaltenders
Peksa
Akhtyamov
