Toronto Marlies win Game 4 to even series 2-2

After an improbable come from behind victory in Game 3 that saw the Toronto Marlies score three goals in 33 seconds, all of the momentum had shifted towards them for the start of Game 4, even though they trailed the series 2-1.

Early in the game, Syracuse silenced the crowd at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto with a goal at 15:15 of the first period as Adam Erne scored unassisted, snapping one past Toronto Marlies‘ goalkeeper Kasimir Kaskisuo. Erne made his NHL debut this year for the Tampa Bay Lightning, playing in 26 games and scoring three goals for the parent club.

Just over one minute later, the Marlies responded as Rich Clune collected the rebound in front of the net and put the shot past Mike McKenna to tie the game at 1-1 with 14:09 to go in the first. Kerby Rychel, a first-round pick of Columbus in 2013, scored his second goal of the playoffs on the power play at 11:55 as he slid in from behind the net and put a back-hander top corner over McKenna to give the Marlies a 2-1 lead.

The Marlies quickly made it 3-1 with their second power goal of the period, as Trevor Moore jammed the puck in after several attempts for his second goal of the playoffs.

Syracuse head coach Benoit Groulx made a change in goal to start the second period, pulling McKenna after allowing three soft goals in favour of Latvian keeper Kristers Gudlevskis. The change in net seemed to spark the Crunch as they came out flying scoring just 2:23 into the second as Ben Thomas cut the lead to 3-2. 

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The two teams jostled back and forth in the third period, trying to sway the game and the series in their favour. The Marlies starting show signs of sluggishness, which was no doubt the effect of playing games on back-to-back nights.

In the third period, Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe seemed content to sit back and park the bus keeping his squad solely in defensive mode, à la Jose Mourinho. The tactic proved fruitful as it helped the Marlies secure victory. 

With the Marlies 3-2 win, the series is now tied 2-2 and will shift back to Syracuse for Game 5 on Saturday night May 13 at 7 p.m. The announced attendance for the game was 6,572.

Next: Marlies win Game 3, to avoid 3-0 deficit

If you haven’t been to the Ricoh to check out a Marlies game, it was definitely a refreshing atmosphere to watch hockey in. You’re not constantly being prodded by an over zealous announcer to cheer, dance or help somebody pick a trivia answer on the scoreboard. Nor are there any obnoxious fog horns after every goal as if a Toronto hockey crowd needs any prodding. 

It’s just a good ole’ hockey game.