Despite more heroics from Artur Akhtyamov, Toronto Marlies slump to Game 2 defeat in Cleveland

Cleveland controlled the early play in Game 2, outshooting Toronto 9-1 through the first eight minutes. The Monsters took a 1-0 lead at the six-minute mark when Dakota Mermis mishandled a 2-on-1 and Roman Ahcan scored on a feed from Zach Aston-Reese. Toronto managed only four shots in the first period, with Zach Sawchenko unaffected. Cleveland increased the advantage to 2-0 shortly after a power-play miss by Bo Groulx, as Mikael Pyyhtiä redirected Luca Del Bel Belluz’s point shot. Toronto started better in the second period but failed to sustain offensive pressure, while Akhtyamov’s play helped keep the score from widening further.

"We were watching and didn't respond very well to [allowing the first goal]. We were shooting ourselves in the foot. We have to be more direct in our first 10 minutes because you could see it coming again. It looked like a very familiar script from the last time we played them. You can only play catch-up so many times in this league, especially at this time of year."

"The Monsters outshot the Marlies 9-1 through the opening eight minutes and could easily have built a substantial lead. Instead, the Monsters had to settle for a 1-0 advantage with a goal at the six-minute mark. After a puck evaded a pinching William Villeneuve, Dakota Mermis couldn't choose whether to stick or twist on the resulting 2v1 situation, making it easy work for Roman Ahcan to score on a feed from Zach Aston-Reese."

"The Marlies mustered four shots in the first period, none of which troubled Zach Sawchenko. Toronto's best chance to score at five-on-five fell to Reese Johnson on a partial breakaway, but the fourth-line forward couldn't bury. After Bo Groulx missed the target with a one-timer on a power play, Cleveland struck within a minute of returning to full strength. On another shift in which the Marlies were caught running around in the defensive zone, Mikael Pyyhtiä redirected a point shot by Luca Del Bel Belluz to open up a 2-0 Cleveland lead."

"Toronto got off to a better start in the second period, with the strong words of their head coach ringing in their ears. Any early momentum was quickly squashed, though, as they struggled to exert concerted pressure in the offensive zone. Cleveland had the chance to take a stranglehold of the game when Logan Shaw was"

Read at Maple Leafs Hotstove