Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team’s series-clinching 3-2 victory over the Laval Rocket in Game 5.
On his team coming from behind twice in the game:
I could sense, with the way the game felt and the way it was going, there were some moments when we were taking it over. Even though we were down 2-1, with the way we were starting to play… I knew we had to go out and execute it — which the players did an unbelievable job — but I knew we were going to get that next one and the one after that.
All the credit goes to the players and to [Akhtyamov] for making some big saves when he needed to. We stayed with it. We didn’t stray from the process. That is a great road win against a really good hockey team.
On big defenseman Blake Smith scoring his first professional playoff goal:
If you watch the goal, it is a guy getting a puck to the net and two guys crashing the net. That is how you win playoff games at this time of the year and on the road. We executed it.
Good for Smitty. That should give him a lot of confidence as we move forward.
🚨 SMITTY FIRST @TheAHL PLAYOFF GOAL TO TIE US UP!!! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/lhvhjXkepk
— Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) May 9, 2026
On the decision to insert Smith into the lineup:
Just with the way it was going, with them adding Arseneau, another big body, it was to protect the D back there and protect Chadwick in situations with scrums. You have to make sure you are putting people in positions to succeed.
Blake is a tough kid who is willing to take a hit to make a play. I could just tell. He is a hockey player who wasn’t going to be afraid of the moment. I think he was outstanding. It took him a period to get with it, but once he did, man, he was effective.
He is a big body who is a presence to the other team.
On the contributions of the “identity” fourth line of Marc Johnston, Reese Johnson, and Michael Pezzetta, including the massive 2-2 goal in the third period:
Their teammates know what they mean to our group. They’re a big reason why we started to turn things around when we got that line together. Now that they’re back in the playoffs, especially against a team like Laval, you need your fourth line.
They called it the grind line back in the day. They did exactly that. It started with a great forecheck, and then Reese (Johnson) put it away. What a great period by our group.
BLINK AND YA JUST MIGHT MISS IT 😉
Reese Johnson scores to make it 2-2! pic.twitter.com/kbFMmNiA6K
— Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) May 9, 2026
On what allowed the team to take over in the third period:
They are who they are. They’re a great hockey team. We knew we’d have to be precise and predictable in how we played to give ourselves a chance.
We weren’t very good in the first period; we weren’t terrible, but we weren’t doing the things necessary to establish the forecheck and succeed.
We started to do it at the beginning of the second period. We tied it back up, and they scored the power play goal, but we got right back onto it and did exactly what we needed to do in the third. Good teams need to show up in the third period.
It was a huge win for us.
On the difference in the challenge vs. the Cleveland Monsters in the North Division final, compared to the Laval Rocket:
They’re quicker. They have some smaller, skilled forwards. Up and down the lineup, all four lines can do the same thing. They got stronger once Gaunce and Aston-Reese got there. They’re a little heavier.
It will pose some different issues. We might have to tweak a few things, but right now, we’re just going to enjoy this win, and then we’ll worry about Cleveland on Monday.
