“The game in Belleville (4-0 loss) was a wake-up call for us. I think we had a great response. I thought we played really well and capitalized on the chances they gave us.”
– Bo Groulx
“Once you’re mentally engaged and physically engaged, the execution drives itself. I like the response [to the Belleville loss]. Good for them, especially the leadership group. I thought they did a really good job getting the guys ready to go.”
– John Gruden
It’s just one game, but the Toronto Marlies answered the call of their head coach and leadership group by delivering an overpowering performance against Iowa. Admittedly, the Wild are a young group missing some key pieces, but you can only beat the team in front of you. The Marlies did it with aplomb on Saturday, starting with a dominant first period.
First Period
An early goal to settle the nerves was just what the doctor ordered. Bo Groulx found Noah Chadwick with some room to manoeuvre at the point, where the rookie defenseman fired a snapper through traffic to break the deadlock 78 seconds in.
Toronto made it 2-0 inside four minutes. As both teams were in the process of a line change, Groulx took a pass from Chadwick before getting his head up and sensing an opportunity through the neutral zone. Groulx made a nice move to beat Ben Gleason at the blue line, broke into the left circle, and beat Samuel Hlavaj with a laser into the far top right corner.
Everything went Toronto’s way in the opening frame, including what might have been a turning point 60 seconds later. As Artur Akhtyamov made a pad save on Cameron Butler, he was crashed into and taken out of the play. The rebound fell to Butler, but with half an empty net to aim at, Butler placed his shot wide.
Toronto earned the first power play of the game thanks to Chas Sharpe. His pass generated a 2v1 led by Paré, who was hooked as he shot from the right circle.
The five-forward first unit moved the puck quickly, creating space for Logan Shaw at the top of the circles. Toronto’s captain turned and shot in one move, sending the puck into the top of the net for a 3-0 lead.
Toronto killed off a hooking penalty taken by William Villeneuve in the neutral zone before striking for a second time with the man advantage. Another excellent shift earned the power play as the third line, plus the pairing of Villeneuve and Chadwick, hustled and harried Iowa into taking a desperation penalty under pressure.
With 29 seconds remaining in the frame, Vinni Lettieri blasted a shot from the left circle, which appeared to take a deflection. Borya Valis provided traffic at the top of the crease but wasn’t credited with the final touch.
Second Period
The Marlies got a little sidetracked in the middle frame and were taunted into some unnecessary penalties. Akhtyamov turned aside all 15 shots faced, including three Grade-A chances for Mark Liwiski, Gerry Mayhew, and Bradley Marek.
Blake Smith got into his first professional fight, dropping the gloves with the vastly more experienced Butler. In a tilt in which most punches didn’t land, the rookie acquitted himself well.
The Marlies would have padded their lead if not for two incredible saves from the visiting netminder on 2v1 breaks. Lettieri and Matthew Barbolini were both robbed on separate occasions as Hlava threw himself to his right and then to his left to prevent further damage on the scoreboard.
Third Period
A more composed start to the third period allowed Toronto to strike two minutes in.
Luke Haymes made a simple but smart pass, allowing Ryan Tverberg to generate speed through the neutral zone. The latter found Barbolini driving through the middle of the ice, but he was stick checked as he shot, and the puck instead dribbled loose to the far post. Defenseman Chas Sharpe had jumped up into the rush and delivered a poised finish.
Akhtyamov deserved a better fate than seeing his shutout bid spoiled by a funky bounce 75 seconds later. The netminder made the initial save on Mayhew, and as the puck skewed to his right, it appeared to hit a skate and cross the goal line.
Bo Groulx re-established the four-goal cushion after some nice build-up play involving Alex Nylander and Chadwick.
Marek responded by netting a second for the Wild, but Toronto had the last word when Haymes shovelled the puck over the goal line to round off the scoring. Toronto recorded seven goals in a game for the first time this season.
Post Game Notes
– The veterans stood up to be counted, with Bo Groulx leading the way. It was a four-point game (2G/2A) from the French native, who went pointless in his previous three outings.
– I waxed lyrical about Noah Chadwick in my previous game recap, and he delivered the offensive output to go with his solid play in this game. A three-point haul (1G/2A) was well deserved with simple, high-percentage plays.
“[Chadwick] is a big guy back there,” said Gruden. “When you get pucks to the net, sometimes they go in. It is always nice to get the first one under his belt. I thought our D grew up fast today and played well.”
– Two points for Luke Haymes (1G/1A) snapped a three-game pointless streak for the rookie. It was a solid rather than a spectacular showing, but I was pleased to see him shooting the puck (four shots) a little more in this outing, as he has often deferred when playing inside the top six. He proved a nice foil alongside Matthew Barbolini and Ryan Tverberg.
“[Haymes] was signed for a reason,” said Gruden. “He can make plays. He is a smart hockey player. When he gets in those areas with open ice, he can see it.”
– William Villeneuve recorded his 100th career AHL point with his second assist against Iowa. The defenseman has 10 points (1G/9A) through 16 games.
– Chas Sharpe is beginning to showcase the offensive instincts Cincinnati and the ECHL became aware of last season. He scored his second of the campaign and almost bagged a couple of assists on the back of stretch passes.
– Saturday’s lineup:
Forwards
Valis – Shaw – Boyd
Nylander – Groulx – Lettieri
Barbolini – Haymes – Tverberg
Pezzetta – Paré – Johnson
Defensemen
Thrun – Villeneuve
Webber – Chadwick
Smith – Sharpe
Goaltenders
Akhtyamov
Peksa
