Reading affiliation starting to pay off for Leafs
READING, Pa. – Four seasons have come and gone for the Reading Royals as ECHL affiliate of the Maple Leafs and Marlies. The on-ice results have been reasonable as Reading has qualified for the playoffs the last three seasons. But more importantly from a developmental point of view, the players assigned to Reading by the Leafs are improving their games while at the “AA” level.
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By: Kevin Striukas (TMLfans McLeaf)
Desperate times call for desperate measures and these are desperate times for Leafs management.
The collapse of the season for the Leafs has put Burke in the hot seat; the team he placed his confidence in choked and failed to perform. After four years on the job the lack of results is a cause for tension for Leafs fans. If Brian Burke doesn’t retool his team and make them successful quickly he might find himself out of a job.
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Here’s a recap of Round 1:
Hurry hard: Marlies sweep Americans
(D’Amigo first star and fifth playoff goal) Apr. 23 Marlies 3 vs. Americans 0 Marlies scorers: Dupuis (1), D’Amigo (5), Kadri (1) Americans scorers: None Links: Box score | Discussion board
Forward lines: Hamilton-Zigomanis-Kadri, D’Amigo-Colborne-Frattin, Mueller-Dupuis-Deschamps, Scott-Acton-Rosehill Defence pairings: Fraser-Holzer, Percy-Gardiner, Mikus-Gysbers Goaltenders: Scrivens (Win, 59:58 minutes played, 29 saves 0GA) Rynnas 0:00
Recap:
The Toronto Marlies, in only the third playoff game in Blue and White since 2008, ended the first round of the Calder Cup with a 3-0 win against the Rochester Americans. The score mirrored the series as the Marlies swept the best of five match in style.
True to their season form, the Marlies posted a 28-0-3 record when leading after two, Toronto scored early in each frame taking the wind out of the 7,118 fans on hand at the Blue Cross Arena.
Marlies take stranglehold on Calder round in Toronto
(Jerry D’Amigo continues hot play with 2 goals and game winner) Apr. 21 Marlies 4 vs. Americans 3 Marlies scorers: D’Amigo 2 (4), Zigomanis (2), Deschamps (2) Americans scorers: Foligno (2), Verone (2), Brennan (2) Links: Box score | Discussion board
Forward lines: Hamilton-Zigomanis-Kadri, Ashton-Colborne-Frattin, D’Amigo-Dupuis-Deschamps, Scott-Acton-Rosehill Defence pairings: Fraser-Holzer, Percy-Gardiner, Mikus-Gysbers Goaltenders: Scrivens (Win 60:00 minutes played, 23 saves, 3 GA), Rynnas 0:00
Recap:
I couldn’t help but wonder if I might have this feeling next year with the Leafs. Holed up in the S-Mo blue and white fortress of solitude watching the proceedings at the Ricoh Coliseum today gave me some thrills and chills… is it possible la vie en bleu et blanc sanctum sanctorum could be rocking out any harder next season?
Yeah, it is.
Still, it was extremely exciting to watch a slice of the future of the big club determine their path in the second game of their opening round of the AHL playoffs against the Rochester Americans. 7,816 spinning white rally towels propelled their club, the rafters near bursting with fans. In fact Ricoh was shy only 324 bodies for their standing room only capacity of 8,140.
Jerry D’Amigo scores twice including winning goal
Apr. 19: Marlies 4 vs. Rochester 3
Marlies scorers: D’Amigo 2 (2), Frattin (1), Zigomanis (1)
Americans scorers: Varone (1), Foligno (1), Brennan (1)
Links: Box Score | Discussion boards
Forward lines:: Hamilton-Zigomanis-Kadri, Ashton-Colborne-Frattin, D’Amigo-Dupuis-Deschamps, Scott-Acton-Rosehill
Defence pairings: Percy-Gardiner, Fraser-Holzer, Mikus-Gysbers
Goaltenders: Scrivens (Win 59:55 minutes played, 20 saves, 3 GA) Rynnas (0:00)
Recap:
A common echo is that, once again, there is no playoff hockey in Toronto. 6,244 fans at Ricoh Coliseum disagree.
By locking up the second seed in the AHL’s Western Conference, the Marlies earned the privilege of choosing to open their best-of-five conference quarter-final against the Rochester Americans on home ice. The hometown fans did not go home disappointed. Jerry D’Amigo’s goal with 4:17 remaining in regulation was the game-winning marker in a 4-3 Toronto victory.
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