"With callups and injuries forcing his hand, John Gruden was forced to dress a blue line with 91 AHL games between them. The Toronto Marlies competed hard in the first period until allowing the opening goal. The middle frame went south, as Laval comprehensively won the special teams battle before a line brawl erupted at the intermission buzzer. First Period Toronto held the upper hand for the first six minutes but wasted several chances to build a lead."
"After getting outshot 6-1, Laval flipped the script by recording five unanswered shots, opening the scoring in the process. With the Marlies caught chasing in the defensive zone, Lucas Condotta made no mistake from the hash marks. Vyacheslav Peksa prevented an avalanche with some good saves as Laval threatened to build a substantial lead. Despite Ryan McCleary's brilliant play to break up a 2v1, the Rocket scored a second in the final seconds of the frame."
"Second Period Toronto's chance to get back into the game hung on an opportunity generated 70 seconds in. Alex Nylander didn't finish from the slot following an excellent drive to the net by Quillan. Sammy Blais struck the crossbar on Laval's next offensive foray, but a third goal was just around the corner for the Rocket. They struck on the power play with a little good fortune after some near misses."
Callups and injuries forced a thin defensive corps that combined for only 91 AHL games. Toronto started strongly with multiple early chances but failed to convert, allowing Laval to seize momentum and open the scoring. Lucas Condotta and Luke Tuch produced first-period goals while Kaapo Kähkönen faced heavy pressure. Vyacheslav Peksa made timely saves to limit further damage. The middle frame belonged to Laval, which dominated special teams and added a power-play goal via Laurent Dauphin. Toronto generated chances from Quillan and Nylander, and a line brawl erupted at the intermission buzzer.
Read at Maple Leafs Hotstove
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