TORONTO – The Toronto-Montreal rivalry is one of the NHL’s best, and in Sunday’s action, their AHL counterparts proved to be no different. Toronto is running a 6-4 record in their past 10, while the Rocket has blasted themselves into a rocky 4-6 form.
Notably, the Marlies starter Petr Mrazek looked shakey. His conditioning stit in Toronto had to be expected for the NHL veteran. North of four minutes deep, the 29-year-old let in his first. A missed assignment on the defensive end faulting the Marlies created an open slot for Danick Martel to capitalize early.
Martell gives the Rocket #1.
| #LAVvsTOR | 15:29 – 1st | LAV 1 – TOR 0 | 🎥 AHL TV pic.twitter.com/cVbKNr7Hwu
— Zack Power (@FPHMarlies) December 5, 2021
By the end of the first period, the ground control’s voice was hoarse from contacting the Rocket’s offense. The Rocket went nearly 10 minutes without a shot by the end of the opening frame. Toronto had the pressure on and had a few things going right for them. The feeling-out process was definitely through by the last few minutes of the 1st, embarking for an exciting second.
At 10:03 from their last shot, Laval created another open lane for Jean-Sébastien Dea to glide in a marker early on. Significant credits go to Terrance Amorosa, who made the centering pass to Dea, who was waiting at the doormat.
Dea makes it 2-0!
| #LAVvsTOR | 17:03 – 2nd | LAV 2 – TOR 0 | 🎥 AHL TV pic.twitter.com/tXcnSUdbs0
— Zack Power (@FPHMarlies) December 5, 2021
Toronto would eventually answer with a knock on the door from Brett Seney. The play started with a fake shot from Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, who faked out Laval’s Cayden Primeau. The pass? A Chefs Kiss. Seney had a world of time for 6-feet of the net.
The Rocket would again respond moments later with a breakaway opportunity that would result in the Brandon Gignac cashing in and separating themselves from an already frustrated Marlies. The goal would mark his third of the season.
By the end of the second period, there was no doubt the Marlies felt frustrated and that they were left uneven. In reality, while the Marlies had a nice stretch where they didn’t let up a shot, the defense on the three goals was atrocious. For the Marlies, it was a head game they were missing and something that Laval could pick up on.
They wouldn’t find that headspace, and it was an early power-play goal that really separated the Marlies and the Rocket. A pass-out-front ended up knocking off the rear of Marlie Curtis Douglas for the tally.
Gignac won credit for the goal.
In a game where the Marlies were spaced and the Rocket floating past them; A team that looked lost a frustrated turned into the Rocket outplaying the Marlies and capitalizing on poor defense. A 5-1 final, in a rivalry of missed assignments for the Ontarians and missed opportunities.
They’ll play each other again on January 7th.
