Marlies News

The Toronto Marlies announced today that the club has named Michael Dyck and Eric Wellwood as assistant coaches.Dyck, 54, has more than 25 years in coaching and management roles at the junior and international levels of hockey. He joins the Marlies after serving as head coach of the Vancouver Giants (WHL) where he compiled a record of 144-120-17-7 through five seasons. He previously held coaching roles with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Lethbridge Hurricanes and Kootenay Ice.

Internationally, the Lethbridge, Alberta native was an assistant coach with the Canadian World Junior team, earning a silver medal in 2021 and a gold medal in 2022, as well as capturing a gold medal at the 2021 IIHF World Championships. Dyck also was a member of the coaching staff at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Youth Olympic Games and the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.Wellwood, 33, spent the past two seasons as head coach of the Newfoundland Growlers (ECHL). He compiled a regular season record of 90-42-6-1 and led the club to the Eastern Conference Final in consecutive seasons. The Oldcastle, Ontario native previously was head coach with the Flint Firebirds (2018-21) and assistant coach with the Oshawa Generals (2014-16) and the Windsor Spitfires (2013-14). With the Generals, he captured both the OHL Championship and the Memorial Cup in 2014-15.Wellwood was selected in the sixth round (172nd overall) in the 2009 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. He appeared in 164 career AHL games, recording 66 points (34 goals, 32 assists) and 31 career NHL games, collecting five goals and five assists, all with the Philadelphia organization.

Prior to his professional career, he captured back-to-back Memorial Cup championships with the Windsor Spitfires.The Toronto Marlies are the primary development program for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Since 2005, 148 players have appeared in regular season games at both the NHL and AHL levels. The 2022-23 Maple Leafs roster featured 10 players who have dressed for both the Maple Leafs and Marlies – Nick Abruzzese, Kyle Clifford, Pontus Holmberg, Timothy Liljegren, Bobby McMann, Jake Muzzin, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, Nicholas Robertson, Alex Steeves, Joseph Woll.

Game notes:

SCORING SUMMARY

Toronto: N. Abruzzese (2) PP (T. Niemelä, K. Bellows), J. Blandisi (3) PP (A. Steeves, W. Villeneuve), K. Bellows (2) (T. Niemelä, R. Mastrosimone)
Goaltender: M. Jones (9/12), K. Petruzzelli (15/18) L

Milwaukee: T. Felhaber (2) (D. Gurianov, F. Svechkov), E. Afanasyev (4) (M. Jankowski, S. Stastney), E. Afanasyev (5) (M. Jankowski), R. Schaefer (1) (S. Stastney), J .Kemell (2) (Z. L’Heureux), E. Afanasyev (6) EN (R. Schaefer, M. Jankowski), J. Gross (1) (Z. L’Heureux)
Goaltender: T. Grosenick (20/23) W

ON THE SCORESHEET

Nick Abruzzese put the Marlies on the board at 13:06 of the second period. This was his first power play goal of the season. He has five points (2 goals, 3 assists) in 10 games.
Joseph Blandisi scored on the power play at 10:19 of the third period. He has eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) in nine games this season.
Kieffer Bellows scored at 12:04 of the third period and earlier had the secondary assist on Abruzzese’s second period goal. He has points (2-2-3) in three consecutive games.
Topi Niemelä recorded the primary assists on Abruzzese’s second period goal and Bellows’ third period goal. He has seven points (2 goals, 5 assists) in nine games. This was his first multipoint game with the Marlies.
Alex Steeves had the primary assist on Blandisi’s third period goal. He has nine points (6-3-9) through seven consecutive games.
William Villeneuve registered the secondary assist on Blandisi’s third period goal. He has four assists in eight games this season.
Robert Mastrosimone picked up the secondary assist on Bellows’ third period goal. This was his first career professional point.
Martin Jones stopped 9 of 12 shots he faced in 24:21 of action. Keith Petruzzellistopped 15 of 18 shots in relief.

TEAM NOTES

Toronto’s all-time record when playing games with a start time of 11:30 a.m. or earlier is 25-15-3-1. On the road, the team is 2-3-0-0.
The Marlies went 1-for-1 on the penalty kill and 2-for-3 on the power play. Toronto is 2-1-2-0 when scoring on the power play and 2-2-0-0 when not allowing a goal on the penalty kill.
Milwaukee had a 31-23 edge in shots in all situations. Kieffer Bellows led the Marlies with five shots on goal. Toronto is 1-1-0-0 when outshot by their opponent.
The Marlies are 1-1-0-0 against Central Division opponents and finish the season 1-1-0-0 against the Admirals. Toronto defeated Milwaukee 3-2 at home on Oct. 24.
Toronto is on its annual road trip during the Royal Winter Fair and will spend seven games on the road, returning to Coca-Cola Coliseum on Nov. 18.

RECORD WHENNot scoring first 0-3-0-0Tied after 1^st 0-1-1-0Trailing after 2^nd 1-2-0-0On the road 2-2-1-0
November 1-2-0-0Wednesday 0-1-0-0MARLIES LEADERS *Amongst active AHL players
Goals 6 (A. Steeves)Assists 5 (J. Blandisi, M. Ellis, T. Niemela, A. Steeves)Points 11 (A. Steeves)PPG 1 (N. Abruzzese, J. Blandisi, B. McMann,T. Niemelä, L. Shaw, A. Steeves)Shots 31 (A. Steeves)+/-+8 (T. Miller)PIMS 29 (J. Blandisi)