“I felt we were pretty flat from the start. [The loss] was more self-inflicted. They played a good game, but at this time of the year, it’s more about what we bring to the table.”
– Henry Thrun
“If we’re not ready to play, it doesn’t matter who you play. You just can’t allow a team to come out after you like that. I’m disappointed, they should be disappointed, and it’s up to them at this point of the year.”
– John Gruden
This 6-3 loss was a truly forgettable performance from the Toronto Marlies, one that the coaching staff will likely burn the video of.
First Period
The Marlies offered little competitive intensity from the opening puck drop, and they eventually paid the price for their lethargic start. Austin Strand opened the scoring at the six-minute mark on an odd-man rush for Utica.
Prior to the goal, Dennis Hildeby made two outstanding saves — on Ethan Edwards and Matyas Melovsky — as Utica threatened to build a sizable lead. Toronto somehow outshot the Comets 9-8 through the opening frame, but they rarely looked likely to tie the game. Alex Nylander and Reese Johnson spurned the two Toronto chances of note.
Second Period
Hildeby turned aside Kyle Crisculo and Angus Crookshank inside the opening three minutes as Utica continued to carry the play.
Against the grain, Toronto tied the game at the seven-minute mark with the only Grade-A chance created in the middle frame. Cédric Paré won the battle down low and found Matthew Barbolini, who teed up Nylander to finish off a cross-slot feed.
The Marlies‘ best spell of the game led to the tying goal, but they weren’t able to return to that level after scoring. Utica gradually took back control and retook the lead shortly after an unsuccessful power play. Toronto didn’t seem to find any momentum from the kill, and a giveaway from Frank Djurasevic proved costly. The unmarked Mikaël Diotte scored his first professional goal on a feed from Nathan Légaré.
When the Marlies ran into further penalty trouble late in the period, Utica seized on the chance to build its lead. With Logan Shaw and Marc Johnstone in the penalty box, Matyas Melovsky gave the Comets a 3-1 lead heading into the second intermission.
Third Period
The Marlies gave themselves a lifeline by scoring inside three minutes when Shaw and Vinni Lettieri perfectly played a 2v2 situation, with the latter delivering a perfect top-shelf finish to draw the Marlies within one.
Any hope of a comeback was extinguished 81 seconds later. An error by Henry Thrun resulted in a breakaway for Légaré and a shorthanded tally for the Comets.
There was no response offered by the Marlies, and Calen Addison’s rebound goal appeared to seal the deal for Utica. Up 5-2, the Comets looked entirely comfortable until their second-string netminder made a gaffe with 5:36 remaining. Borya Valis’ floated wrist shot hit the glove of Jakub Málek and gently rolled across the goal line.
There was no remarkable comeback, however, as Austin Strand found the empty net from long range to secure a richly deserved victory for a desperate Utica team clinging onto its playoff hopes.
Apologies for a lack of further notes but I’m now on the road and currently playing catch up with game recaps.
Marlies Lineup vs. Utica – April 10
Forwards
Groulx – Shaw – Lettieri
Barbolini – Paré – Nylander
Baddock – King – Valis
Sim – Johnstone – Johnson
Defensemen
Chadwick – Benning
Thrun – Borgesi
Smith – Djurasevic
Goalies
Hildeby
Peksa
