It's just one game, but the Toronto Marlies answered the call of their head coach and leadership group by delivering an overpowering performance against Iowa. Admittedly, the Wild are a young group missing some key pieces, but you can only beat the team in front of you. The Marlies did it with aplomb on Saturday, starting with a dominant first period.
Hartford is struggling mainly due to their inability to start games off on the right foot or finish them out. The Wolf Pack have been outscored 11-8 in the first period, and 10-4 in the third period. They are only managing to outscore opponents 15-10 in the second period, with 8 of those 15 goals coming in their three wins so far this season.
Suzdalev fired Hershey into a 2-1 lead with 13:03 remaining in the third period. Suzdalev picked up the puck after receiving an indirect pass off the boards from Ryan Chelsey that sprung him and Bogdan Trineyev on a 2-on-1 rush. The Russian-born, Swedish-raised winger looked shot the whole way and fired a wicked wrister past Americans goaltender Topias Leinonen. The goal is Suzdalev's third point of the season (1g, 2a) for the Bears in five games.
Andrew Cristall, a second-round pick in 2023, arrived at his third development camp with one fewer tooth but one more year of experience, coming off an electric season in the WHL.