The Toronto Marlies advanced to the AHL Eastern Conference Finals by defeating the Cleveland Monsters 3-2 in Game 5 of the North Division Finals. Easton Cowan scored with 12 seconds remaining to give Toronto its first lead of the afternoon. After trailing 2-1 entering the third period, Logan Shaw tied the game with 4:30 left, setting up Cowan’s late goal. Cowan’s fourth playoff goal came from jamming home a Vinni Lettieri shot that was fanned on, with Jacob Quillan earning the secondary assist. Cowan has four goals and four assists in 13 playoff games. Artur Akhtyamov made 22 saves and improved his elimination-game record to 3-0, with a 2.18 goals-against average and a 0.922 save percentage.
"Easton Cowan scored with 12 seconds left on Sunday to give the Marlies their first lead of the afternoon. Toronto will take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. After trailing 2-1 entering the third period, Marlies captain Logan Shaw tied the game with 4:30 left to play to help set up Cowan's heroics. Cowan recorded his fourth goal of the playoffs by jamming home a Vinni Lettieri shot that was fanned on. Jacob Quillan recorded the secondary assist on Cowan's fourth goal of the playoffs, and the biggest goal of Cowan's professional career to this point."
"Cowan has recorded four goals and four assists over 13 playoff games with the Marlies and is putting together the type of postseason the Toronto Maple Leafs' organization was hoping to see when it was announced Cowan would finish his rookie year in the AHL. The 21-year-old is just over a month removed from his rookie season at the NHL level, a year in which Cowan appeared in 66 games, recording 11 goals and 18 assists, and looked more comfortable as the season went on."
"Speaking to the media post-game, Cowan touched on what he saw during the first game-winning tally of his AHL career. "I think we just had a really good forecheck. Vinny [Lettieri] tried to get it on net, and it just ended up going to me for a wide open net," Cowan said. "It was pretty easy, and I was just happy to get that win."
"Artur Akhtyamov once again helped the Marlies find themselves on the right side of an elimination game. The 24-year-old turned aside 22 shots, improving his record to 3-0 in games he's started this postseason when the Marlies were facing elimination. Sunday's win pushed Akhtyamov's record to 7-4-0 in these playoffs to go along with a 2.18 goals-against average and 0.922 save percentage."
Read at TheLeafsNation
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