“I thought we played really well in moments, but we still know how dangerous they are in their transition game. We got a little cute on a few shifts there, but again, it is a bend-don’t-break mentality, and when it matters the most, our group finds a way to show up. This is a best-of-seven, and there is a lot of hockey to be played, but it’s definitely a great win for our group.”

– John Gruden

Somehow, some way, the Toronto Marlies continue to win games in the playoffs despite not bringing their A-game. Artur Akhtyamov was the star of the show in Game 1 in Wilkes-Barre, especially in the middle frame, where he made a series of quality saves as Toronto took the lead. Despite giving up the lead in the third period, the Marlies‘ fourth line struck late to snatch Game 1 and home-ice advantage from the series favourites.

First Period

When they established a forecheck in this game, the Marlies showed they could grind down the Penguins and generate high-danger chances. Toronto did just that inside the opening minute, recovering possession down low, where the first line created a Grade-A chance for Logan Shaw. Up until Michael Pezzetta headed to the penalty box at the five-minute mark, the Marlies showed they were capable of controlling five-on-five play against an offensively talented opponent.

Toronto also almost struck while shorthanded. Shaw broke clear, but he wasn’t fresh and had to shoot early while getting chased down. Sergei Murashov turned aside the captain’s rushed, low shot.

The Penguins started to turn the tide back at five-on-five as Toronto reverted to some nasty, old habits. Poorly executed breakouts and defensive-zone turnovers played into Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s hands, but Artur Akhtyamov kept the Penguins off the board with five high-danger saves until he was finally solved with three minutes remaining. With Akhtyamov screened, Alex Alexeyev scored with a wrist shot from the point to break the deadlock.

The Marlies registered just five shots in the opening frame but still had the opportunity to tie the game before the intermission buzzer. Alex Nylander was the beneficiary of a broken play, but with time and space in the heart of the slot, he whistled a shot wide.

Second Period

After a somewhat sloppy start to the middle frame, the Marlies tied the game courtesy of hard work from the second line. All three forwards were involved in the forecheck before Ryan Tverberg crucially won a battle on the left half-wall, springing the puck free for Jacob Quillan. The latter made a heads-up play to drop it to Easton Cowan in space atop the circles. The rookie had time to measure a wrist shot that beat Murashov cleanly.

The fourth line delivered a fantastic shift after the tying goal, driving the net and putting the Penguins under pressure with a relentless cycle, bringing in a fresh change on the fly.  But the Marlies were unable to generate any more quality scoring chances at five-on-five for the remainder of the period.

A strange high-sticking call on Dakota Mermis sent Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to the power play for a second time at the midway mark. Toronto’s penalty kill excelled and created a second breakaway chance of the game. Former Pens forward Marc Johnstone escaped this time, but once again, Murashov bailed his power play out.

In a similar story to the first period, the Penguins dominated at five-on-five after an unsuccessful power play. Akhtyamov produced an exceptional performance in the middle frame, turning aside eight Grade-A scoring chances, and he also got a little puck luck to go his way when Rutger McGroarty rang a shot off the inside of the post.

The home crowd was not pleased when Harrison Brunicke was whistled for a holding call in the neutral zone seconds later, relieving the pressure on Toronto. The Marlies’ first power play of the game was too slow, predictable, and easily dispatched by the Penguins’ penalty killers.

Three minutes later, the Marlies regrouped and scored on another opportunity with the extra skater. A deft drop-pass pass by Shaw found the wheelhouse of William Villeneuve, who ripped a shot through traffic past Murashov. Credit to Cédric Paré for providing an excellent screen in front of the goaltender.

The Pens had a great chance to tie the game with two minutes remaining after capitalizing on a cheap turnover up the ice. Akhtyamov came out aggressively to challenge Avery Hayes on a breakaway, and the Pittsburgh prospect fired wide of the left post.

Third Period

The Marles killed off a third penalty early in the frame after Ben Danford made a mistake down low. Otherwise, Toronto looked unfazed until they suddenly conceded the tying goal at the six-minute mark. 

It was a sequence that Mermis won’t look back on fondly, as he committed a sloppy own-zone turnover on what should’ve been a fairly routine play up the wall and then didn’t recover well, allowing McGroarty to score from below the goal line past a sprawling Akhtyamov.

With the score tied, neither team was able to take over the game. The Penguins certainly possessed more of the puck but were kept to the perimeter, and Akhtyamov wasn’t in the mood to give up any second opportunities. As the clock began to wind down, the game took on a next-goal-wins vibe.

With 96 seconds remaining, the Marlies’ veteran fourth line delivered the game-winning moment. Toronto twice recovered possession after a partial breakaway for Reese Johnson and a point shot by Henry Thrun. With a good cycle underway, Marc Johnstone rounded the net into the left circle before finding Pezzetta with some space atop the circles. Johnstone’s pass wasn’t the best, but with the five Pens defenders collapsing toward their own net, Pezzetta had time to kick the puck to his stick and beat Murashov’s glove hand through a screen.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton immediately called a timeout and then almost responded, courtesy of a defensive breakdown by Toronto, with Bill Zonnon left wide open at the far post. Akhtyamov produced arguably his best save of the game to prevent a late comeback.

Shaw secured the victory with an empty-net goal shortly after, although he knew nothing about it as Thrun’s clearance hit Toronto’s captain before travelling the length of the ice and across the goal line.

The game finished with a disallowed empty-net goal, two fights, and Avery Hayes taking a jab at Akhtyamov as he vacated the ice. It was an unsavoury finish, but it showed that the Marlies have already gotten under the skin of the Eastern Conference favourites.

Post Game Notes

– The Marlies went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and 1-for-2 on the power play. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton outshot Toronto 36-16.

– Artur Akhtyamov turned aside 34 shots to record a third consecutive playoff victory. He’s posted a .925 save percentage through 12 playoff games and put down a marker for his Russian counterpart at the opposite end of the ice.

– This was a promising start to the series for Easton Cowan, who was more impactful at five-on-five than in the previous two games. His goal to tie the game was a thing of beauty, and it only came about because of his initial work hustling to apply pressure without the puck. He is second in AHL rookie playoff scoring with nine points (5/G/4A).

– A power-play goal for William Villenueve will serve two purposes. It should make WBS respect his shot a little more and might open up some passing lanes for the power play. Secondly, it’ll be a shot of goal-scoring confidence for the defenseman, who hasn’t hit the net since the deciding game of the Rochester series.

– I will always admit when I’m wrong. I thought it was a mistake to omit Landon Sim from the lineup. John Gruden dressed a more veteran fourth line of Michael Pezzetta, Marc Johnston and Reese Johnson, who delivered for him.

“They’re the heartbeat of our team at times,” said Gruden. “When we need them, we see what happened in the third period there. That is twice now that they’ve had big third-period moments. They just bring a lot of life, on and off the ice, and mean so much to our team.”

– Game 1 lineup:

Forwards
Paré – Shaw – Lettieri
Cowan – Quillan – Tverberg
Valis – Haymes – Nylander
Pezzetta – Johnstone – Johnson

Defensemen
Thrun – Rifai
Mermis – Villeneuve
Chadwick – Danford

Goalies
Akhtyamov
Hildeby

Extended Game 1 Highlights: Marlies 4 vs. Penguins 2

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