“[Charlotte] scored that goal and then a second one, and it just seemed like we never regrouped from that. Too many mistakes blatantly cost us today. We have some work to do. We need to get some healthy bodies back. We need to get our team together and start doing things right as we start going toward the playoffs. At the end of the day, you don’t just flip a light switch.”
– John Gruden
An undermanned Toronto Marlies team featuring four rookie defensemen had no answer for Charlotte’s speed, relentless forecheck, and overall work ethic through 60 minutes. It was no surprise when emotions spilled over late in the middle frame, but if the Marlies showed that kind of fire in their play, this would’ve been a more competitive game.
First Period
The Marlies generated the only two high-danger scoring chances in the opening 10 minutes but converted on neither. They then fell behind at the 11-minute mark.
A defense-splitting flip pass by Matthew Barbolini sent Luke Haymes through on goal, but the rookie couldn’t beat Louis Domingue, although he drew a hooking penalty in the process. The struggling Marlies‘ power play imploded within 10 seconds; a misplay led to a breakaway for the Checkers, and Vinni Borgesi was forced to take a hooking penalty.
When the game returned to five-on-five, Charlotte pounced on a defensive breakdown to take the lead. Wilmer Skoog chased down and won the race to a dump-in, spun out of the right corner, and sent a cross-slot feed to the open Robert Mastrismone for the 1-0 goal against his former team.
Within seconds of the restart, another breakdown resulted in an odd-man rush for the Checkers. MacKenzie Entwhistle escaped down the left wing and attempted to go top-shelf, shortside on Artur Akhtyamov, but the Russian goalie got the better of him.
There was a temporary response from Toronto, but no tying goal. A swift transition play resulted in Barbolini getting a half step inside the defense. The attempt against the grain was good, but the save from Domingue was better. On the same shift, Borgesi and Valis combined to tee up Barbolini from the high slot, where he flubbed his shot.
After some late pressure from Toronto in the Charlotte end, the Marlies fell behind 2-0 on a rookie blunder, as Borgesi misplayed the puck at the Charlotte blue and paid the ultimate price. Hunter St. Martin blew past the rookie defenseman and found the net on his own rebound following an initial stop by Akhtyamov.
Second Period
Ryan Tverberg and Henry Thrun had opportunities in the slot around the six-minute mark on a pair of rare offensive forays, as the Marlies struggled to generate anything resembling offensive pressure. Charlotte dictated the pace of play and should have been up four or five at the midway stage.
The turning point of the game arrived with eight minutes remaining in the second period. Tverberg and Logan Shaw teed up Vinni Lettieiri for a tap-in into an open net, but the veteran forward’s shot was deflected high by a desperation last-ditch stick play from Charlotte. The Checkers then scored on their next attack, a 2v2 transition play wherein Marlies backed off Ludvig Jansson, who roofed his shot to put the Checkers up 3-0.
The Marlies’ last chance to get back into the game inevitably fell to two of their better performers. Tverberg was incredibly unlucky not to score on a wraparound attempt, while Barbolini was robbed twice from the slot.
The game was over as a contest with three minutes remaining. Charlotte struck on the power play in somewhat comical fashion. Heny Thrun took off on a short-handed rush but slapped his shot way wide of the target, ringing the puck around the boards into an odd-man situation for the Checkers. Ben Steeves finished off the 4-0 goal.
A boarding penalty in the last second of the frame saw emotions spill over on both teams. The Marlies were visibly upset by the antics of Wilmer Skoog, who, among other things, decided to break stray sticks left on the ice by the Marlies following a scrum. The normally restrained Shaw was incensed and made his feelings known to the officials in no uncertain terms.
Third Period
In somewhat heavy-handed officiating, 116 penalty minutes were dished out at the end of the middle frame. The result was four skaters in the box for Charlotte and seven for Toronto.
There was little to write home about in the third period. Jake Livingstone redirected a shot to make it 5-0, and Charlotte attempted to preserve a goose egg for Domingue. It looked as if it would be the netminder’s day when he gloved a point-blank shot from Paré, who should’ve buried.
The Marlies did break the shutout bid with a little over three minutes remaining. Haymes and Nylander combined to create a turnover just outside the Charlotte blue line, setting a 2v1 in motion. The latter took charge, ignoring Tverberg to his right and beating Domingue with a top-shelf finish over the glove hand.
Post Game Notes
– Charlotte won the season series between the teams 3-1.
– Alex Nylander registered his 300th career point with Toronto’s lone goal. He’s only hit the 50-point mark in a single season once in his career, but he is three points shy (21G/26A) of reaching the number in this campaign.
– This was a tough game for defenseman Frank Djurasevic to make his professional debut. Everything considered, he acquitted himself well on a pairing with another rookie in Blake Smith.
– Saturday’s lineup:
Forwards
Tverberg – Shaw – Nylander
Barbolini – Haymes – Valis
Paré – Johnstone – Lettieri
Baddock – King – Johnson
Defensemen
Mermis – Borgesi
Thrun – Chadwick
Smith – Djurasevic
Goalies
Akhtyamov
Hildeby
