Saturday, October 27, 2012

Lucky five for the Marlies

#17 Brendan Gallagher and Marlies goalie Ben Scrivens as the Hamilton Bulldogs 
take on the Toronto Marlies in AHL play at Copps Coliseum. 
Kaz Novak/The Hamilton Spectator



The Toronto Marlies are 3-2-1 in 6 games played, after beating the Hamilton Bulldogs last night in overtime 5-4.

The game is the first of 8 that will have the Marlies away from the Ricoh Coliseum for nearly three weeks. The contest started off strong for the baby Leafs scoring just after the five minute mark of the first period. That was where the difference between the two teams stopped, as Hamilton matched Toronto goal for goal leading up to the eventual five minute overtime. Carter Ashton had the Marlies' first goal of the game and stood as his first of the season. Blunden scored the Bulldogs first goal just 19 seconds later to tie the game.

The second period would see six different goals scored starting with the Leafs star d-man Jake Gardiner for his third goal of the season off a pass from Aucoin. Hamilton would respond three minutes later from Gallagher's first goal of the season on the power play to tie the game at two. St. Denis would put the Bulldogs ahead for the first time in the game with his first of the year to make it 3-2.

Marlies' young gun Greg McKegg would then score his second goal of the season on the power play to tie the game up again at three. The score would remain until the end of the second as the Marlies were looking for a more disciplined period for the final 20 minutes.

The Marlies came out strong in the third scoring again just after the five minute mark off a pretty pass and play from Nazem Kadri. The Bulldogs would tie it up for the final time on Dumont's second goal of the season. Mark Fraser toook a hooking penalty with five seconds left in regulation time putting the Marlies in a difficult position going into overtime. Toronto did score off a scramble tap in from Joe Colborne with 0.4 seconds left in the period that was waved off because the referee did not see the puck.

Ater killing off the penalty Simon Gysbers scored with just 50 seconds left in the game to give the Toronto Marlies the 5-4 victory.

With as close as the game was, winning in overtime after being able to escape the penally kill without a goal against is important for the Toronto club going forward.

"I thought it was one of those roller coaster games, up and down, and pretty evenly matched all night. Winning that game after having to kill that penalty in overtime is a huge building block for our season," said head coach Dalles Eakins.

The Marlies will be off for another week as they prepare to visit the Abbotsford Heat for a weekend back to back.


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