Toronto Marlies storm back for Game 1 win in Cleveland, take early series lead in North Division Finals

The Toronto Marlies jumped out to the series lead on Thursday night, winning Game 1 of the North Division Finals 5-2 against the Cleveland Monsters.

After the Monsters jumped out to a 2-0 lead at 7:56 of the second period, the Marlies scored five unanswered goals to silence the Monsters’ home crowd. Nine different Marlies skaters picked up a point in the win, with forward Bo Groulx leading the way with one goal and two assists.

Once again, Marlies goaltender Artur Akhtyamov impressed, stopping 32 of 34 shots to improve his postseason record to 5-2-0. The 24-year-old has run with the Marlies’ starter role since Game 2 of the North Division semifinals, allowing more than two goals only once in his five starts since Marlies head coach returned the Akhtyamov.

Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2023 first-round draft pick Easton Cowan put the Marlies on the board with 3:08 to play in the second period, beating Monsters’ goaltender Zach Sawchenko five-hole on the power play for his third goal of the playoffs. Speaking this week to TSN’s Mark Masters, the 20-year-old said he is trying to use this playoff run to impress whoever is named the next head coach of the Maple Leafs.

“I’m just going to keep playing my game,” Cowan said. “Obviously, someone new is coming in [to coach Leafs]. They’re probably watching, whoever it is, so keep competing, keep playing my game leading into the summer, have a good summer and be ready for camp.”

After American Hockey League veterans Marshall Rifai and Alex Nylander both scored to put the Marlies up 3-2, Maple Leafs’ 2020 seventh-round draft pick, Ryan Tverberg, gave the Marlies some much-needed insurance. Tverberg finished off a backdoor, no-look pass from captain Logan Shaw to put the Marlies up by two goals with 7:28 to play and record his third goal of the playoffs.

Tverberg, an Ontario native, was selected by the Maple Leafs after posting 51 points across 47 games as a member of the Toronto Jr. Canadiens in the OJHL. After three seasons at the University of Connecticut, where Tverberg recorded 69 points in 85, the forward joined the Marlies to close out the 2022-23 regular season.

After failing to register a point in his first stint with the Marlies, Tverberg returned to the club the following season and totalled 32 points across 46 games. Last season, Tverberg posted only 11 points in 46 games, appearing to put his chances of ever suiting up in a Maple Leafs jersey in jeopardy.

In need of a bounce-back year, the 24-year-old put together his best season at the AHL level, scoring a career-high 15 goals and adding 21 assists, to finish in a tie for fifth most points among Marlies skaters with 36. The success this season earned Tverberg an opportunity to make his NHL debut on April 13 in a 6-5 loss against the Dallas Stars. Prior to making his NHL debut, Tverberg spoke about the long journey to reach the NHL level.

“Just a lot of hard work,” Tverberg told reporters when speaking to the media following the morning skate on April 13. “I had to go through some injuries and a lot of, just a lot of hardships, but in the end, I still feel pretty good.”

Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday, May 16, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. EST.

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