Tonight, the two conference finals series continues with a crucial Game 5. In Calder Cup playoff history, when best-of-seven series have been tied at two, the winner of Game 5 has won 119 of 144 series games (82.6 percent).
The Eastern Conference Finals even head into tonight’s Game 5 at Coca-Cola Arena (7 p.m. ET, 
) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won 4-3 on Wednesday.
Rutger McGroarty (4-5-9) Use easton cowan A turnover with 2:59 left in regulation broke a 3-3 tie and gave the Penguins their second straight victory.
“It starts with me. I’ve got to get better,” said Cowan, who returned to Toronto’s lineup Wednesday after missing the previous two games.
“He’s going to go back out there and be Easton Cowan, the best version of himself. Find it, fix it and forget about it,” Marlies head coach John Gruden explain. “He’s going to be a pro for many years. He’s a gamer. I’m sure he wants it back, but it doesn’t define who he is as a person and it doesn’t define who he is as a Toronto Maple Leaf.”
Toronto took an early 2-0 lead on a shorthanded goal. Bo Glucks (4-3-7) Penguins goalie error Sergei Murashov (8-5, 2.01, .934), followed by a power-play goal Vinny Lettieri (8-8-16).
The Penguins responded in the second quarter Scooter Bricky (1-2-3) Scored first career AHL goal, fellow defender Chase Pitila (1-1-2) reached the playoffs for the first time after scoring twice in 66 regular-season games and Gabe Klaassen (2-5-7) With 51 seconds left in the quarter, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton took the lead for the first time.
“Obviously, our first period wasn’t great,” Penguins forward Avery Hayes (3-3-6) told The Athletic’s Josh Yohe. “But I think you just saw the character of the guys we have on this team. We’re finally starting to play well. When we’re playing our best hockey, I don’t think there’s a lot of guys that can play with us.”
Marlies score third special teams goal of the night Luke Hyams (3-7-10) A power play tied the score at 3-3 with 6:56 left in regulation. Toronto shot 4-for-10 on the power play and 9-for-10 in the shootout in the series.
“They’re a good hockey team,” Gruden said of the Penguins. “It’s a tough game on the other side – for them, they’re doing the right things. It’s a good series. It’s tough to lose, but this is hockey. We can’t keep our heads down.”
Quick click:
- The road team has won 11 consecutive meetings between the Penguins and Marris. The last home victory between the two teams was December 20, 2022 when the Marlies won 5-2.
- Toronto Artur Akhtyamov (9-6, 2.31, .920) gave up four goals in back-to-back games. In each of his first 13 playoff starts, he allowed three goals or fewer.
- Jacob Quinlan (1-6-7) Did not play in Game 4 for the Marlies.
- Scooter Bricky Since his playoff debut in Game 2, the Penguins have scored three points in three games Alex Alexeyev.
In the Western Conference, Chicago won 2-1 on Wednesday to even the series heading into tonight’s Game 5 at Allstate Arena (8 p.m. ET, ).
Wolves’ dynamic pair Justin Robidas (5-5-10) and Bradley Nadeau (3-9-12) provides the score for Game 4, and Kayden Primo (8-5, 2.30, .928) made 17 of 33 saves in the third period to stop the Eagles.
“They came a little early, but we weathered the storm and took it to them,” Primo said. “When we play like that, we’re a tough team to beat.”
At 10 minutes and 52 seconds of the second quarter, Robidas’ goal broke the deadlock. It was also the second time in as many nights that Chicago was shorthanded.
At the beginning of the third quarter, Nadeau extended the lead to 2-0. Alex Barre-Bright (5-6-11) Colorado got on the board with 8:39 left in the game, scoring his second goal of the series against his former Laval Rocket teammate Primo.
The series’ field goals are 140-93 against Colorado, including 51-24 in the first quarter of four games.
“This is a team that really believes in themselves and the way they play,” Wolves coach Spiros Anastas explain. “If they can start the game on time, I have full confidence in this team because they have faith in themselves.”
Quick click:
- Chicago loses regular season scoring leader Felix Unger Sorum Wednesday for the second night in a row.
- Bradley Nadeau and Justin Robidas In the series, the Wolves have 4 points each. Tristan Nelson, TJ Hughes and TJ Tynan The Eagles each scored four points.
- Trent Miner (10-4, 1.55, .935) stopped 27 shots for the Eagles in Game 4, the 11th time in 14 postseason starts that he allowed two or fewer goals.
- Miner is 3-0 since the playoff loss with a .953 save percentage (3 saves in 64 shots).
