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What better timing for Vinni Lettieri than the day Canada gets his first World Cup point to deliver two Calder Cup playoff goals with a leaf on his chest.
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The Marlies forward, whose father Tino was netminder in the nation’s World Cup debut in 1986, fired the 4-2 winner against the Chicago Wolves in Game 1 on Friday at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. Lettieri added an empty net goal and earlier assist to his American Hockey League post-season points lead of 20, out-legging two Wolves and beating Chicago goaltender Amir Miftakhov with 8:28 to play.
Lettieri, who did not get a late-season look from the parent Maple Leafs, now has 10 playoff goals and could have had a hat trick if the puck had dribbled a couple of inches the other way off the post on a first-period breakaway.
Marlies goalie Artur Akhtyamov survived a 6-on-5 in the final two minutes to set his team up for success, with three of the next four games back in Toronto. Akhtyamov made 11 third-period saves, 26 in all.
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His Kazan, Russia, countryman Miftakhov had a long 24 hours prior to this start. The Wolves are the AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, and Miftakhov went from Chicago to Raleigh, N.C., as an emergency back-up to Brandon Bussi for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final against the Vegas Golden Knights. He flew home Friday, but not before a faster flight plan was considered that would have seen him go through Toronto.
After a feeling-out process on Friday, including a power play each and short-handed breakaways turned away, Toronto’s loose play with the puck — nine first-period turnovers — resulted in an odd-man rush and Chicago’s first success.
Akhtyamov made a nice pad save on Ryan Suzuki in the slot, but Bradly Nadeau was uncovered for the rebound. Before the period ended, Toronto rookie defenceman Ben Danford tied it on his first pro goal. Set up by veterans Lettieri and Bo Groulx, Danford beat Miftakhov from long range.
Skyler Brind’Amour, son of Rod, head coach of the Hurricanes, had been stopped while in alone earlier in the game, but jumped up to finish a 2-on-1 in the second period. The Wolves fell asleep as the frame ended, with Borya Valis and Ryan Tverberg quickly breaking out to find Cedric Pare in the middle. Valis, who came into the playoffs in the last round for the injured Jacob Quillan, had two assists on Friday.
Game 2 is Sunday in Rosemont.
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