The Toronto Marlies completed their three-game sweep of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs in exciting fashion, as defenseman Connor Carrick scored three goals and two assists in a 6-4 come-from-behind victory at Ricoh Coliseum on Thursday.
Carrick (acquired from Washington along with Brooks Laich and a second round pick for Daniel Winnik in February) led a furious comeback after Toronto fell behind 4-1 midway through the second period.
"I don't think I had (a hat trick) in midget," the 22-year-old blueliner said after the game. "(I scored one in) three-on-three hockey in the summer maybe, I don't know."
TJ Brennan, Viktor Loov and Zach Hyman also scored and Garret Sparks made 12 saves for the victory in relief of Antoine Bibeau, who was pulled midway through the second period.
Let's see those 🎩🎩🎩! Connor Carrick with the hat trick to tie the game! #TORvsBRI pic.twitter.com/dtLz03GGlG
— AHL (@TheAHL) April 29, 2016
Toronto opened the game sluggish, surrendering the lead early on Marc-Andre Cliche's power play goal, but bounced back to tie the game just over four minutes later as Carrick's point blast with the man advantage beat former Marlie Christopher Gibson.
Gibson faced 19 shots in the first, but kept the score even. The Sound Tigers took control of the game early in the second, scoring three times and taking advantage of Toronto penalties.
Mike Halmo tallied 42 seconds into the middle frame, Kyle Burroughs and Cliche scored again on the power play to make it 4-1 and chased Bibeau, who allowed four goals on 12 shots.
Toronto responded to the change in net and erased the Sound Tigers lead with three goals in the final six minutes of the second. Carrick set up Brennan on the power play to narrow the lead to 4-2, scored his second of the game on a long screen shot to make it 4-3 and beat Gibson for a third time with 60 seconds remaining to tie the game.
"Today was a real hockey game, a real competitive playoff type of hockey game and our team really needed that." Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe said following the game. "(It's) really healthy for our team to have to go through that today and to find our way out of it."
Loov put Toronto ahead for good early in the third with a slap shot through a screen and added an insurance marker as Leipsic weaved his way through the Bridgeport defense to set up Hyman for his first goal of the post-season.
Toronto will open the second round of the playoffs on Wednesday at Ricoh Coliseum against the Albany Devils, who clinched their series against Utica a 6-3 win on Thursday.
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