"It didn't do much to help the Marlies in terms of their performance back at five-on-five as Utica continued to dominate possession, scoring chances, and the shot clock. After allowing two goals on as many shots, Akhtyamov looked a little shorn of confidence. He was unsteady to say the least, with some questionable decision-making around leaving his net. He did, however, find a way to stop 13 more shots to keep the deficit at one."
"Toronto killed two penalties and generated its best chance to tie the game. Marc Johnstone misplayed a shorthanded breakaway, losing control at the vital moment. He showed composure to create a secondary opportunity, but he couldn't lift the puck over the pads of Jeremy Brodeur from close range. Second Period Toronto stepped up in the middle frame and began to impose its brand of hockey on the Comets. Bo Groulx and Logan Shaw came close to tying the game inside the opening five minutes before Toronto was down a skater for a third time."
The Marlies fell behind early after defensive-zone turnovers produced two Utica goals inside four minutes. A four-minute power play produced a Travis Boyd goal to cut the lead, but Utica continued to control five-on-five play. Goaltender Artur Akhtyamov allowed two early goals and appeared unsettled, though he stopped 13 subsequent shots to keep the score close. Toronto killed multiple penalties and nearly tied the game on a shorthanded chance by Marc Johnstone. In the second period Toronto intensified its play, created several high-danger chances, and nearly converted on a power play before a third-man penalty set them back.
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