The Toronto Marlies staged a remarkable comeback on the road Thursday night, erasing a two-goal deficit to defeat the Cleveland Monsters 5-2 in Game 1 of their best-of-five North Division final series.
After falling behind 2-0 late in the second period, the Maple Leafs' AHL affiliate exploded for five unanswered goals, stunning the Monsters at Rocket Arena.
Key Performances
Easton Cowan sparked the rally with a power-play goal through the five-hole, igniting the Marlies' offense. Bo Groulx delivered a playoff career-best three-point performance, recording two assists and an empty-net goal to seal the victory.
Despite generating only 15 shots on goal, Toronto made them count against Monsters goaltender Zach Sawchenko. At the other end, Artur Akhtyamov was outstanding, making 32 saves to earn the win.
Turning Point
Trailing 2-0, the Marlies struck twice in a span of 2:01 late in the middle period. After Cowan's goal, Marshall Rifai scored his first goal in 20 regular-season games, his lone Maple Leafs call-up appearance, and the first eight playoff contests this spring. For Cowan, it was his third goal of the playoffs and seventh point, bringing his career postseason total to 103 points dating back to his time with the OHL's London Knights.
Roster News
Toronto dressed defenseman Ben Danford, the Maple Leafs' 2024 first-round pick, for his professional debut. Alex Nylander and Ryan Tverberg added the other Toronto goals.
Akhtyamov bounced back from a tough Game 4 at home in the Laval series to shine in the clincher and earn the start in this match. His performance was crucial in securing the Game 1 victory.
Looking Ahead
Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday night back at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. The Marlies will look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead before the series shifts to Toronto.
