The Toronto Marlies snatched home-ice advantage away from the Chicago Wolves in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Western Conference Semi-Final with a 5-2 win at Allstate Arena on Friday.
Trevor Smith, Peter Holland, Greg McKegg, Carter Ashton and Sam Carrick scored for the Marlies and Drew MacIntyre made 37 saves in the victory. Former Leaf Christian Hanson and Michael Davies tallied for the Wolves and AHL Goalie of the Year Jake Allen made 30 saves in the loss.
Toronto did not appear rusty following an eight-day break after sweeping the Milwaukee Admirals, taking advantage of an overzealous Chicago club by scoring twice on three power play opportunities in the first period.
Smith and Holland, who both spent a significant chunk of the season with the parent Maple Leafs due to numerous injuries at center, scored within four minutes of each other to give the Marlies a 2-0 advantage after 20 minutes.
McKegg extended it to 3-0 with a top corner wrister early in the second before Chicago rallied in the second half of the middle frame with Hanson’s second goal of the postseason and Davies breakaway goal narrowing the lead to 3-2.
Toronto put a halt to the home club’s momentum with a fortunate goal early in the third, as Ashton fanned on a close-in chance that deflected off of Allen’s stick into the open goal. Carrick added his club-leading fourth goal of the playoffs late in the third to insure the Marlies fourth straight post-season victory.
“A couple of mistakes that cost us goals,… Coach Steve Spott said following the victory, “we didn’t get in a shot lane when we should have and a bad line in the second period, but beyond those two mistakes I thought we played a pretty thorough road game especially against a very good hockey club.…
The two clubs meet again in Game 2 Saturday at 8pm, which can be seen on Leafs TV, before returning to Toronto on Wednesday for Game 3.
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Maple Leafs prospect and Guelph team captain Matt Finn is heading to the Memorial Cup, as the Storm eliminated the North Bay Battalion with a 4-3 comeback victory to win the OHL Championship Friday night.
The 20-year-old 2012 second round pick scored late in the second period to narrow the North Bay lead to 3-2, before Columbus first rounder Kerby Rychel notched a pair of goals in the final five minutes of regulation for the win. Finn bounced back nicely from a 2012-13 season riddled with illness and injury with 14 goals, 47 assists in 66 regular season games and finished second in OHL defensive scoring with 14 points in 20 playoff games.
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TSN’s Darren Dreger indicated on TSN 1050 Radio Friday that Toronto Assistant GM Dave Poulin could be a candidate for the vacant Washington Capitals GM position. The 55-year-old Poulin’s name has been mentioned in connection with other management vacancies, most notably the Calgary Flames under former boss Brian Burke, who hired Phoenix Asst GM Brad Treliving two weeks ago.
Dreger reports that the Capitals have not asked Toronto for permission to speak to Poulin, who has been with the Leafs for five years and played the final two years of his 13 year NHL career with the Capitals. Other reports indicate that current Washington assistant and Director of Player Personnel Brian MacLellan may have the inside track, as well as speculation of Wayne Gretzky having interest in a President/GM position with the club.
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