The Toronto Marlies scored 12 goals in back-to-back wins in Albany, but lost their goal scoring mojo in Game 6 of the Calder Cup Eastern Conference Semi-Final, as the Devils goaltender Scott Wedgewood made 34 saves in a 4-1 victory at Ricoh Coliseum on Saturday.
The Albany victory forces a deciding Game 7 on Monday night, with the winner advancing to take on the winner of the series between Hershey - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, which also goes to Game 7 on Sunday.
"To put a team like that away is not going to be an easy task." Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe said after the game. "Our guys just weren't up for the challenge today, weren't nearly competitive enough. I thought we were outworked all over the ice and when that happens, the other team is going to get a bunch (of goals)."
Albany goaltender Scott Wedgewood fending off Toronto's Connor Brown in the third period of the Devils 4-1 victory on Saturday. Image courtesy of Christian Bonin at TSGPhoto
Kasperi Kapanen scored for Toronto and Antoine Bibeau made 24 saves in the loss.
Albany, who split the first two games in Toronto earlier in the series, jumped out early in the first with a pair of goals 49 seconds apart, as Reid Boucher jumped on a loose puck to beat Bibeau and defenseman Corbin McPherson fired a point blast past the Marlies goaltender.
Toronto had the better of the offensive chances in the opening stanza, especially on a power play immediately following the Devils goals, but goalie Scott Wedgewood was equal to the task with 12 first period saves.
The two clubs exchanged goals in the second. Kapanen scored his second of the post-season to narrow the gap to 2-1, but Albany's Nick Lappin seized on a Toronto defensive zone turnover and navigated around an unsuspecting Connor Carrick to re-establish the two goal lead.
Mark Arcobello (who led Toronto with 6 shots) was thwarted by the Devils netminder on a breakaway with the Marlies pressing in the third and Albany counter attack resulted in a Graham Black goal that all but ended any chance of a comeback in front of 8,207 towel-waving fans.
Nikita Soshnikov was a late scratch due to a lingering injury and was replaced by veteran Matt Frattin. The status of the pesky forward who scored 18 goals during the regular season and three goals in Game 4 & 5 victories for Monday's elimination game is unknown.
After registering a pair of assists in the Marlies 7-2 victory on Tuesday, William Nylander was held off the score sheet for the second straight game and Keefe indicated that he will need more production from his top line center for the club to advance on Monday.
"I need Willie to be a lot more competitive, with and without the puck." Keefe said. "He's (playing with his) foot off the gas quite a bit, when we don't have the puck and as a result, we are not getting it nearly enough when he's out there."
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The Maple Leafs are likely to address goaltending during the offseason, with Jonathan Bernier entering the final year of his deal and only youngsters Garret Sparks, Antoine Bibeau and free agent signing Kasimir Kaskisuo in the organizational pipeline.
It is probable that GM Lou Lamoriello will attempt to add a netminder via trade or free agency, but with 12 picks in the upcoming draft, it is also likely that Mark Hunter will select a young netminder to develop.
Sportsology's Russ Cohen indicates that London Knights goalie Tyler Parsons, who has won 13 straight OHL playoff games in route to the Memorial Cup, is on Toronto's radar and could be a target with one of their picks in the second round.
The 18-year-old Chesterfield, MI native went 37-9-3 in 49 games for the Knights this season, with a 2.33 GAA and .921 save percentage and has gone 16-1-1, with a 2.15 GAA and .925 save percentage in 18 playoff games for London.
Listen to my appearance with Russ and Anthony Mingioni, as we discuss what the Leafs will do after taking Auston Matthews at the 2016 NHL Draft.
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