The Toronto Marlies won their fourth consecutive road game this afternoon in Oklahoma City, as Jake Gardiner scored on a one-timer point shot at 4:32 of overtime to defeat the Barons 6-5.
The Marlies jumped out to a four goal first period lead, with Will Acton scoring just 36 seconds after the opening faceoff and a three goal blitz courtesy of Nicolas Deschamps, Kenny Ryan and Greg Scott in a span of 1:27 near the end of the first period.
Taylor Hall scored a power play goal late in the middle frame to get Oklahoma City on the scoreboard and Mark Arcobello scored with the man advantage early in the third to narrow the gap to 4-2, but Mike Zigomanis second goal of the season looked as if it would ice the game away for Toronto, as they carried a three goal lead into the last four minutes of regulation, but the players who constitute the future core of the Barons’ parent club Edmonton Oilers with the assistance of numerous power plays and subpar penalty killing staged a third period comeback, scoring three times in the last 3:16 to tie the game.
With the Marlies already a man down, Carter Ashton took a minor for hooking with just over five minutes remaining. Former first overall pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Teemu Hartikainen scored on the power play to make it 5-4 and with goaltender Yann Danis pulled, Nugent-Hopkins jammed a loose puck past Toronto goalie Jussi Rynnas to tie the game.
Temperatures ran pretty high near the end of the contest, as Marlies coach Dallas Eakins was given a bench minor for abusive language and a game misconduct late in the third and veteran Keith Aucoin was handed a misconduct at the end of the game for abusing the officials.
Rynnas made 31 saves on the night and improved to 3-0-1 on the season, while Gardiner’s game winner gives him five goals, tying Leo Komarov for the club lead.
Toronto completes their eight game road trip Friday night at Copps Coliseum with the first of a home and home against the Hamilton Bulldogs.
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As reported by the Toronto Sun, Leafs defenseman Carl Gunnarsson has signed with his hometown team, Orebro HK of the Swedish second division.
Meanwhile, winger Joffrey Lupul is slated to start his first game for the KHL’s Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg tomorrow against Yugra.
The fact that two more players have hooked on to European teams might be looked at pessimistically by some, as a further example of players covering themselves by finding whatever job is out there, but it could also be interpreted as a sign that they are going anywhere they can to get some competitive game action in before the NHL season starts.
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