“I thought we played extremely well. The kill in the first period — the five-minute [major] — was huge. It was a huge momentum boost for us. The special teams were a huge part of this win, but I thought our five-on-five game was really solid. We didn’t give them much and kept them to the outside.”
– John Gruden
“I thought we played a great road game. Sometimes, a boring game is a good game. We capitalized on some chances and then locked it down defensively.”
– Logan Shaw
In his 800th professional game, captain Logan Shaw led the way for his team with a goal and an assist in a 2-1 win over Cleveland. The goal moved Shaw into sole possession of third in Marlies franchise history with 75 goals. The assist on Vinni Letteiri’s game-winning goal was his 117th, overtaking Mike Zigomanis to become the Marlies‘ all-time assists leader.
Toronto’s captain has rebounded from a slow start to the season and is currently riding a six-game point streak while leading the team’s winning streak entering the new year. Setting a new franchise benchmark in the process is the icing on the cake.
First Period
In a low-event opening frame, the Marlies were the more potent offensive threat, generating three high-danger opportunities in three minutes, but they couldn’t seize any of them. Luke Haymes whiffed on a feed from Matthew Barbolini in the midst of a partial break. On the same shift, Haymes was denied on a solo drive through the heart of the slot before Ivan Fedotov made a good save on Borya Valis’ low shot.
The period took on another dimension at the five-minute mark when Brandon Baddock was ejected for elbowing. The Cleveland player in question turned back into Baddock and stumbled in the process of taking what was ruled a high hit. I’m not certain it should have been a game misconduct, but the officials appeared to be swayed by Baddock’s reputation rather than the incident in isolation.
Toronto killed the five-minute major penalty without giving up a shot as the Monsters struggled to set up in the offensive zone, thanks to the Marlies‘ aggressive press.
Haymes had a third chance to open the scoring with seven minutes remaining. He made a smart play to steal possession, but he didn’t get enough on his shot from the slot to trouble Fedotov.
An interested onlooker for the majority of the frame, Artur Akhtyamov stepped up with a key double save in the final minute to keep the game scoreless.
Second Period
The Marlies were almost caught out 68 seconds into the middle frame. Cleveland executed a 3v2 break to perfection, finding Corson Ceulemans as the trailer on the play down the middle of the zone. Akhtyamov was ultra-alert, racing out to the top of his crease to make the save without giving up a second opportunity.
Haymes was the beneficiary of a relentless cycle by his linemates, but in a frustrating game for the rookie offensively, he buried his effort into the chest of Fedotov. Toronto built on that shift, though, and drew consecutive penalties for a 1:51 5-on-3 power play.
The Marlies sent out a five-forward unit, which connected after some early miscommunications. Found down low by Travis Boyd, Haymes took his time before firing a pass through the slot. Shaw stayed composed as he out-waited Fedotov before sliding the puck by the sprawling netminder.
Toronto built off the opening goal with some dominant shifts without turning them into an insurance marker. Cleveland pushed back with extended offensive-zone shifts, but they couldn’t solve Akhtyamov, who stepped up with key saves on Luca Del Bel Belluz, Danton Heinen, and Stanislav Svozil.
The Marlies finished the period strongly, drawing another power play, and Borya Valis was stopped from point-blank range as the Monsters clung on.
There was drama in the final minute when Fedotov broke a skate blade and needed to be replaced for a short spell, sending backup Nolan Lalonde into the game with no previous AHL experience. Matthew Barbolini had two good looks but couldn’t get the puck past the rookie netminder, whose saves were met with a raucous reception from the appreciative home crowd.
Third Period
The Marlies managed the first 15 minutes well, aside from giving up a 3-on-1 break. Akhtyamov grabbed hold of James Malatesta’s shot and once again didn’t give up a rebound.
Offensive opportunities were in short supply, although Alex Nylander should have done more with his breakaway attempt. That chance was easy to forget when the Marlies scored shortly thereafter, taking a 2-0 lead with 4:44 remaining.
Shaw cut out a pass in the neutral zone, resulting in a 2v1. Toronto’s captain played the situation perfectly, laying a nicely-weighted pass to his left for Vinni Lettieri to roof past Fedotov.
Cleveland opted for the extra attacker with four minutes remaining, and it paid dividends inside 45 seconds. The Marlies didn’t help themselves by turning the puck over three times in the defensive zone, as they tried to pass their way out instead of just chipping it clear.
Akhtyamov made a brilliant reactionary save on Heinen and deserved better when Luca Del Bel Belluz beat him on the rebound.
Reese Johnson should have iced the game thereafter, but his shot hit the side of the empty net. Thankfully, the miss did not come back to haunt him or the Marlies. Justin Pearson and Owen Sillinger were both stonewalled by Akhtyamov in the final seconds of the game as Toronto survived a late flurry to take home the two points.
Post Game Notes
– The Marlies not only won the special team battle but also remained extremely disciplined following Brandon Baddock’s ejection from the game. Toronto went 1-for-3 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill.
– It wasn’t the busiest game for Artur Akhtyamov, but he continues to make key, timely saves during his run of good form. The goaltender has won his last four starts with a combined .909 save percentage. The Marlies haven’t allowed a ton of shots in those games, but they have given up plenty of high-danger chances. This 20-save performance is Akhtyamov’s 10th win of the campaign as he’s cemented the Marlies’ number-one spot in the absence of Dennis Hildeby.
– I shouldn’t ramble on too much about Logan Shaw after mentioning him in the opening to this recap. After five points in the opening 12 games this season, Shaw has surged back to the team lead (23 points) in the absence of Jacob Quillan. The captain is riding a six-game point streak (3G/5A) heading into 2026.
“[Shaw] means everything,” said Gruden. “He is an extension of us (as a coaching staff). He is an unbelievable leader. He does everything right. He’s great with the younger players and great with the older players. He is a true pro. He practices hard every day. I can’t think of a better way for him to cap a great game and his 800th pro game as well.”
– Luke Haymes will no doubt be frustrated that he didn’t produce more than a primary assist in this game. Still, his performances since the Christmas break have ramped up considerably, and he’s becoming a notable offensive threat by going to the dirty areas.
– Last but not least, thank you all for your readership and participation in the MLHS community in 2025. It is never taken for granted. I wish every one of you (and your loved ones) all the very best for 2026 in every aspect of your lives. Thank you again for the unrivalled and passionate support.
– Tuesday’s lineup:
Forwards
Boyd – Shaw – Lettieri
Nylander – Paré – Tverberg
Barbolini – Haymes – Valis
Baddock – Johnstone – Johnson
Defensemen
Rifai – Thrun
Smith – Villeneuve
Chadwick – Sharpe
Goaltenders
Akhtyamov
Peksa
