Marlies Bury Barons 5-2

Nazem Kadri Scores Twice as Toronto Marlies Beat Oklahoma City Barons 5-2
Canadian Press

October 23, 2010

TORONTO - Nazem Kadri re-discovered his scoring touch with two goals, including one for the highlight reels, in the Toronto Marlies' 5-2 win over the Oklahoma City Barons in American Hockey League play Saturday.

Kadri, a former star in the Ontario Hockey League and the Maple Leafs' highly-touted prospect, added two assists in Toronto's (2-3-0) first home win of the season.

James Reimer was solid in net making 31 saves for his second win of the year. Bryan Pitton stopped 28 in just his second start for the Barons (3-4-1).

Joey Crabb also had two goals and Justin Hodgman added a single for the Marlies, but it was the Kadri show Saturday night. He was moved to left wing with Brayden Irwin and Crabb, and the line showed chemistry all game.

After Liam Reddox opened the scoring for the Barons in the first period, Kadri tied the game on a slick solo effort. Kadri took a pass from Irwin inside the Barons' blue-line, slipped the puck through defenceman Jeff Petry's legs, deked goalie Bryan Pitton to his glove side and backhanded it past him up high.

Kadri made it 2-1 for the Marlies early in the second on a play off a faceoff. Irwin won the draw and got it back to Kadri who snapped a wrist shot over Pitton's right shoulder.Kadri was in on Toronto's third goal as well midway through the period. The 20-year-old slipped a backhand pass from behind the net to Crabb who quickly snapped it past Pitton from the top of the crease.

The Barons cut the lead to 3-2 when Linus Omark snapped a wrist shot past Reimer less than two minutes into the third. But Hodgman restored the lead just over a minute later with his first of the season on a nice pass from Alex Foster.Crabb finished off the scoring with his second of the game at 16:24 after Kadri fed him a nice cross-ice pass.

Kadri's four points give him seven in five games with the Marlies.

The game saw Ben Ondrus make his return to Toronto after signing with Oklahoma in the off-season. The former captain remains the Marlies all-time leader in games played (254) and is ranked third all-time in penalty minutes (316).

The Marlies started the year without naming a captain before giving the 'C' to Alex Foster on Friday.

Both teams are in action Sunday. Toronto host the Grand Rapids Griffins, while Oklahoma travels to Hamilton to take on the Bulldogs for their third game in three days.

Notes: Oklahoma's Shawn Belle went into the game tied for second among defencemen in points with seven. . . The Marlies are 21 for 24 on the penalty kill for the season. . . Reimer has been in goal for both Marlies wins this season. . . The announced attendance was 2,046