Toronto Marlies Fall To Belleville Senators In Game 1 Of Calder Cup Playoffs

The Toronto Marlies fell 3-1 to the Belleville Senators in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Playoffs first round. The Senators lead the best-of-three series 1-0.

In the first period, Marshall Rifai got the visitors on the board first with a goal just 3:36 in to the game. But, before the period was over, Zack Ostapchuk tied the game at one.

In the second period, Tyler Kleven and Josh Currie both scored for the Senators, extending their lead to 3-1. That score would remain as the final.

After the game, Marlies captain Logan Shaw spoke on his teams performance, 'To be quite honest, everywhere. I don’t think we had a good game at all from start to finish. Maybe a couple of good pushes but we got outplayed tonight. Our work ethic wasn’t there like it usually is. It’s on us, every one of us knows, myself included. We’re going to take that game, think about it tonight and make sure we’re ready to go for Friday."

The Marlies return to action on Friday for Game 2 back home at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Puck drop is at 7:00pm on the Toronto Maple Leafs App and AHLTV.

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SCORING SUMMARY
Toronto: M. Rifai (1) (C. Gaunce, Z. Solow)
Goaltender: D. Hildeby (35/38) L

Belleville: Z. Ostapchuk (1) (J. Currie, D. Sebrango), T. Kleven (1) (G. Pilon, M. Guenette), J. Currie (1) (Z. Ostapchuk)
Goaltender: M. Sogaard (16/17) W

ON THE SCORESHEET

• Marshall Rifai opened the scoring at 3:36 of the first period. This was his first career playoff goal. He had 19 points (2 goals, 17 assists) in 57 games this season.
• Cameron Gaunce recorded the primary assist on Rifai’s first period goal. He had eight points (1 goal, 7 assists) in 40 games this season.
• Zach Solow had the secondary assist on Rifai’s first period goal. He had 26 point (11 goals, 15 assists) in 66 games this season.
• Dennis Hildeby stopped 35 of 38 shots he faced.

TEAM NOTES

• The Marlies were 0-for-2 on the penalty kill and 2-for-2 on the power play.
• Belleville had a 38-17 edge in shots in all situations. Roni Hirvonen led the Marlies with three shots on goal.

MARLIES PLAYOFF LEADERS *Amongst active AHL players

Goals               1 (M. Rifai)
Assists            1 (C. Gaunce, Z. Solow)            
Points              1 (C. Gaunce, M. Rifai, Z. Solow)
PPG                 0
Shots               3 (R. Hirvonen)
+/-                    0 (Multiple players)
PIMS                2 (K. Bellows, M. Pietroniro, J. Quillan)

HEAD COACH JOHN GRUDEN

On tonight’s game:

We lost a lot of races. I’m going to take responsibility because I don’t think I did a good enough job getting these guys ready for what was coming at us. I’m going to look at it again and we’re going to make sure that we’re better on Friday but they came hard and we didn’t have an answer. We had a little bit of an answer in the third but once again, they’re a big, strong, fast team that is predictable and we weren’t predictable enough. We’ll be better on Friday.

LOGAN SHAW

On where the team needs to be better at for Game 2:

To be quite honest, everywhere. I don’t think we had a good game at all from start to finish. Maybe a couple of good pushes but we got outplayed tonight. Our work ethic wasn’t there like it usually is. It’s on us, every one of us knows, myself included. We’re going to take that game, think about it tonight and make sure we’re ready to go for Friday.

UPCOMING GAMES:*All times Eastern Standard Time

April 26 vs. Belleville – 7:00 p.m.
*April 28 at Belleville – 3:00 p.m.
                                   *If necessary

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