Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
The Toronto Marlies are in the lead in the Calder Cup playoffs.
Tonight, they have a chance to make a run at the Eastern Conference Finals.
The back-to-back road wins move the Marlies to 2-0 in the best-of-seven series against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Michael Pezzetta He was the late-game hero both times, scoring with 1:36 left in the first game to help his team win 4-2, while in the second game, he scored in overtime to help Mali win 2-1.
After a week away from home, the Marlies will return home for their third game tonight. They finished the North Division finals in Cleveland and then headed directly to Wilkes-Barre. Life at Coca-Cola Arena was good for the Marlies, who set up a best-of-three first-round series against the Rochester Americans in the decisive Game 3 in Toronto. In the conference semifinals, they faced the Laval Rocket, splitting two home games. They then went into Game 4 of the Cleveland series at home, needing a win to stay in the playoffs, which they eventually won 5-2.
As the fourth-place finisher in the North Division, this Marlies team is still moving forward as the calendar turns into June. In an extremely unpredictable postseason, all four regular-season division titles are now over for the summer, while the Marlies’ youth teams are still competing. rookie forward easton cowanThe goal with 11.3 seconds left in regulation eliminated Cleveland. After one season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he scored nine points (five goals, four assists) in 14 games in the Calder Cup Playoffs. defensive player Ben DanfordComing straight out of the Ontario Hockey League and joining the Marlies in time for the Cleveland series, he quickly gelled with the head coach John Grudengroup.
This is a time of significant change for the Maple Leafs, and those shifts will inevitably impact the Marris.
Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Introduction John Chaika On May 3, he served as the new general manager of the Maple Leafs. Joining Chayka is Hockey Hall of Famer and former Maple Leafs captain Mats Sandinwho is the team’s new senior executive advisor for hockey operations. Earlier today, MLSE added more changes Judd Brackett Served as assistant player manager for player evaluation and former AHL forward freddie hamilton As Chief of Staff.
As Chayka’s evaluation process began to unfold, he had already received the Marlies in person.
Tonight, these prospects will face their next challenge. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton finished third in the regular season and has a strong lineup from top to bottom. The Penguins’ speed and transition always test opponents, and the Marlies are sure to make some further adjustments in Game 3. The visiting team is trying to avoid a 3-0 hole in the series. They will become more desperate.
Learning how to manage games and series is part of the Calder Cup Playoffs. These adjustments and the ability to begin to weaken and frustrate your opponents are opportunities for further growth. The Marlies have a chance to add more to their lesson plan this week in Toronto.
About two decades in the American Hockey League, TheAHL.com feature writer Patrick Williams also currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. In 2016, he received the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for outstanding coverage of the league.
