Marlies Get Crunched In Syracuse

March 12, 2009
Marlies Lead On Playoff Spot Cut To Three Points

(SYRACUSE, NY) – The playoff race in the North division just got tighter.
Nikita Filatov’s goal in the second period would be the game winner as the Marlies dropped a 3-1 decision in Syracuse on Wednesday night. The loss shrunk Toronto’s lead to 3 points over the Crunch.

Maksym Mayorov and Alexandre Picard had the other Syracuse goals while Tim Stapleton scored the loan Toronto goal.

Mayorov opened the scoring in the first period after Tom Sestito sent a pass from the side of the net through the top of the crease to Mayorov who snapped a one-timer. Justin Pogge got most of the shot, but not enough as it snuck through his pads for the opening goal.

Filatov increased the lead in the second period when he raced down the right wing, and slipped the puck past Pogge on the short side.

Toronto finally solved Kevin Lalande midway through the third period, when Jaime Sifers sent a long up ice pass to Bates Battaglia at the Crunch blue line. He carried the puck in the zone, and then dropped a pass back for Stapleton, who used the traffic heading to the net as a screen, and beat Lalande on the high glove.

The Marlies tried for the equalizer with the empty net, but lost the puck behind their own goal, as Picard tucked the puck in to seal the game.

Lalande made 32 saves for the win, while Pogge stopped 18 shots in the loss. Toronto was 0 for 5 on the power play, while Syracuse was 0 for 6.

Toronto heads to Rochester to face the Amerks on Friday night.

SOURCE: torontomarlies.com