Cleveland took a 2-0 lead for the second game in a row, but this time the Monsters fought off a Toronto comeback to even their best-of-five North Division finals series with a 3-1 victory on Saturday night.
The teams head to Toronto for Game 3 on Wednesday.
Roman Ahcan and Mikael Pyyhtiä scored during a first period in which Cleveland owned a 13-4 advantage in shots on goal.
On Thursday, the Marlies trailed by two before they scored twice late in the second period to tie it, then added three more goals in the third for a 5-2 win.
In Game 2, Bo Groulx scored a shorthanded goal to cut the deficit to 2-1 with 4:28 left in the second, but the Monsters got an insurance goal from Luca Pinelli with 7:06 to go in regulation to seal the win.
Will Butcher notched two assists and Zach Sawchenko (4-1) made 17 saves for Cleveland.
Artur Akhtyamov stopped 21 shots for the Marlies.
Attendance at Rocket Arena was 14,196.
(Series tied, 1-1)
Game 1 – Thu., May 14 – Toronto 5, CLEVELAND 2
Game 2 – Sat., May 16 – CLEVELAND 3, Toronto 1
Game 3 – Wed., May 20 – Cleveland at Toronto, 7:00
Game 4 – Fri., May 22 – Cleveland at Toronto, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sun., May 24 – Toronto at Cleveland, 3:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern