Toronto Marlies Eliminate the Albany Devils, Advance to Round 2

The Toronto Marlies get past the Albany Devils in the first round of the AHL playoffs, winning the best of five series 3-1.

It felt like a marathon, but the Toronto Marlies were able to get the job done against the Albany Devils, thanks to a goal by Justin Holl at 6:43 of the third overtime period. The Marlies edged the Devils 3-1 in the five game series and will have their hands full with the Syracuse Crunch in round two of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

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After the Marlies were shut out 3-0 in Game 1 of the playoffs, they came out swinging in Game 2 with a decisive 6-2 victory. Game 3 was a more even affair, as both teams traded goals in the first and second period. It was Colin Greening that would give the Marlies the edge in the series, with a goal 45 seconds into overtime.

Any time the Marlies play the Devils, it is a physical affair and the physicality would leave a mark on the young squad. Kasperi Kapanen left the game after rejoining the team, following his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

This could be a big blow to the Marlies, given the impact Kapanen has on offence. In his first game back with the Marlies, he had two assists and was part of a dangerous line with Frederik Gauthier and Brendan Leipsic.

The story of the series has to be the goaltending performance of Kasimir Kaskisuo, who replaced Garret Sparks after he sustained an injury early in the series. The 23-year old was an emergency call up from the ECHL, going 5-1 with a 1.94 GAA and a .934 save percentage in a late season audition. In three games in the AHL playoffs, Kaskisuo has a 2-0 record with a 0.96 GAA and a .952 save percentage.

Kaskisuo made 32 starts with the Orlando Solar Bears, posting a 14-11-2 record, a 3.45 GAA and a .899 save percentage. He took a different path than most of his countrymen, moving overseas to play college hockey with Minnesota-Duluth.

Kevin McGran of The Toronto Star wrote about the Kaskisuo’s path to the AHL. He got the Leafs attention, signing an entry-level contract that had him earning the maximum salary and gave him a promising future in hockey.

Andrew Nielsen will need more seasoning with the Marlies, to work on the defensive side of the game. He has the offensive pedigree, size and physicality to get excited about.

If he can get his defensive game to the level that the Leafs need, the team may have a strong building block to work with. This playoff experience could be exactly what he needs to get his development to the next stage.

Next: Marlies' Quest for the Calder Cup is on!

The Marlies will have their hands full with Syracuse, who finished atop the North Division and beat the St. John’s IceCaps 3-1 in their first round series. If the Marlies get Kapanen back for the second round and Kaskisuo can continue his strong play they should be favourites in the series, although nothing is guaranteed in the AHL playoffs.