Based on their winning ways against the Rochester Americans, the Toronto Marlies would enjoy playing them as often as possible.
The Blue and White trailed 3-2 in the final minute of regulation, but with goaltender Ben Scrivens pulled, Matt Frattin tied the game with 9.5 seconds remaining to force overtime. After the five minute extra period was inconclusive, Frattin scored one of the two goals during the shootout to give Toronto the 4-3 victory at Blue Cross Arena Saturday night.
The win was the Marlies fifth straight over their division rival this season and fourth win over Rochester in the last sixteen days.
Toronto were without a number of their top players, as leading scorer Keith Aucoin, team captain Ryan Hamilton and winger Jerry D’Amigo were rested as part of the usual roster rotation implemented by coach Dallas Eakins. Defenseman Jake Gardiner, who is tied for the team lead in goals with nine, missed his second game in a row with concussion like symptoms after receiving a high hit in their last meeting one week ago.
Mike Kostka and Frattin both scored goals in regulation and during the shootout, Will Acton netted his fourth of the season and Paul Ranger had two assists on the night.
Ben Scrivens made 22 saves in regulation and overtime and stopped all four Rochester shootout opportunities for his ninth victory of the season and Toronto improved their record to 14-9-0-1 with the win.
Luke Adam, Mark Pysyk and Marcus Foligno scored for the Amerks, who move to 12-10-2-0 with the loss. Goalie David Leggio made 25 saves on the night, but has lost four games to the Marlies this season.
Toronto took a 1-0 lead just over three minutes into the game as former Amerk Kostka blasted a point shot during a delayed penalty call through a screen that eluded Leggio. Toronto outshot Rochester 13-7 in the opening period, but the home club was not without their opportunities, as Scrivens made a great stop on Foligno to preserve the lead.
Rochester tied the game three minutes into the middle frame, as a Scrivens interference penalty on Kevin Porter gave them the man advantage. On the power play, Adam made a nice spin-o-rama move and directed a bouncing puck past Scrivens. Just over six minutes later, Acton put Toronto back in front as his long shot got past the Amerks netminder.
Toronto appeared to be trying to play conservative and preserve the one goal lead and was successful for most of the third, but Rochester continued applying pressure and blueliner Mark Pysyk tied the game with 4:27 remaining. Foligno, who scored six goals in 14 games with Buffalo late last season and has continued to play impressively in the AHL this season, put the Amerks in front with just over two minutes remaining in regulation, but the Marlies pulled Scrivens in the final minute and tied the game with 9.5 seconds left on the clock, as Frattin drove the net and uncorked a wrist shot that Leggio stopped with his right pad, but the ensuing rebound went right back to the Marlies winger, who snapped just inside the far post to tie the game.
The Marlies outshot the Amerks 5-1 in overtime, but neither team scored. Kostka and Frattin both tallied in the shootout, while Scrivens stopped Cody Hodgson, Foligno, Phil Varone and Jonathan Parker to preserve the victory.
Toronto faces the Grand Rapids Griffins at 3pm tomorrow at Ricoh Coliseum.
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