Vinni Lettieri scored with 9:38 left in regulation, breaking a 2-2 tie and sending the Toronto Marlies past the Laval Rocket, 3-2, in the deciding Game 5 of the clubs’ division semifinal series at Place Bell on Saturday afternoon.
Fourth-place Toronto will face the third-place Cleveland Monsters in the North Division finals, with that series set to get underway on Thursday.
With the teams skating four-on-four midway through the third, Toronto won an offensive-zone draw and worked the puck around to Lettieri, whose drive from above the left-wing circle got through Kaapo Kähkönen for his fifth goal of the playoffs, tied for the AHL lead.
Toronto’s Reese Johnson scored his first career postseason goal to tie the game 4:57 into the third period, and defenseman Blake Smith scored in his first appearance of the postseason for the Marlies.
Owen Beck scored both goals for Laval, which had not lost in regulation all season when carrying a lead into the third period (28-0-1-3).
Artur Akhtyamov (4-2) made 20 saves for the Marlies, while Kähkönen (2-3) stopped 16 shots for the Rocket.
(Toronto wins series, 3-2)
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 29 – LAVAL 3, Toronto 1
Game 2 – Fri., May 1 – Toronto 6, LAVAL 2
Game 3 – Sun., May 3 – TORONTO 6, Laval 2
Game 4 – Tue., May 5 – Laval 4, TORONTO 0
Game 5 – Sat., May 9 – Toronto 3, LAVAL 2