Marlies Report – May 2, 2008

By Rob Del Mundo

 

Bates Battaglia’s game winner with just under a minute in the third-period of Monday’s Game Seven matchup against the San Antonio Rampage propelled the Toronto Marlies into the second round of the AHL Calder Cup playoffs. Battaglia picked up the puck near the right point, then turned back towards the blueline and spun around to his right to shoot.  The puck went past a maze of players and through the five-hole of stunned Rampage goalie Josh Tordjman.

"I'll take them any way I can get 'em!" smiled Battaglia after the game.  "I just wanted to get it in deep, and put it on net if possible - and look what happens!"

 

As has been evidenced throughout the regular season, the Marlies utilized their depth on the forward lines as one of their keys to success. The team has four players tied for the lead in playoff scoring, all of whom have modest yet subpar totals of 4 points in 7 games. However, eleven different players scored at least one goal in the North Division Semi-Final against San Antonio.

 

John Mitchell was the team’s biggest offensive threat in the road games in San Antonio, collecting two goals and an assist over Games #4 and #5. As for players with Leafs experience, Battaglia and Kris Newbury were the scorers in the 2-1 victory in the seventh game, with Battaglia also chipping in with a shorthanded breakaway goal in the Marlies Game #2 loss at Ricoh. Jiri Tlusty has found some spark playing on the left wing alongside Mitchell and Ben Ondrus, and had the game-winner on a nifty wraparound in the opening game of the series.

 

On the blueline, the defence has been stabilized with the return of Derrick Walser, who missed the first two games of the playoffs. Ever since Walser’s return in Game #3, the Marlies have surrendered just ten goals in five games. The pairings of Walser with Staffan Kronwall, Jay Harrison with Jamie Sifers, and Bryan Muir with Andy Wozniewski have remained solid in each of those five outings.

 

In goal, Scott Clemmensen has started every game in the playoffs thus far, and has been arguably the team’s best player in the post-season. "I felt better as the series went on," said Clemmensen after his 37-save performance in Game Seven. "I thought Game #1 was probably my weakest game even though we won.  But, I just kept feeling better and better after every game, and here in Game Seven it paid off!"

 

There are skeptics who question whether Leafs prospect Justin Pogge, long anointed as the Maple Leafs “goalie of the future” should have been named the Marlies playoff starter, or should have at least seen more playing time than a sole appearance in relief of Clemmesen after the team was shelled in Game #2. Fans have to realize that Pogge is not going to have the starter's job handed to him on a silver platter. It is not enough for Pogge to be “on par” with his teammate; he has to outshine him and be AHL All-Star calibre material.  While the goalie who backstopped Team Canada to a gold medal at the 2005 world juniors is certainly capable of reaching those levels next year, there is no evidence to suggest that he is at that stage yet.

 

Pogge has big skates to fill, especially given the Leafs expectations of All-Star quality goaltending from Felix Potvin, to Curtis Joseph, to Ed Belfour, to Vesa Toskala. Quite simply, the fans' impatience won't change the facts.

 

The Marlies opponents in the North Division final are the Syracuse Crunch. Toronto won the first 4 games against Syracuse in the regular season, then proceeded to lose the next 4 (two in overtime, one in a shootout). Of the eight games between the two teams this year, only one was decided by more than one goal (October 28, a 5-2 Marlies win). The series gets underway on Friday at Ricoh Coliseum.

 

Marlies struggle at the gate

 

Toronto hockey fans are certainly enigma.

 

The city hosts two professional hockey teams, both owned by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. The team in the National Hockey League - the Maple Leafs - can't win, yet the Air Canada Centre sells out every night.

 

Meanwhile, the other team the Marlies - the Leafs AHL affiliate - had the second-best record in the league's Western Conference and are Calder Cup contenders, yet can't seem to draw fans.

 

The team hosted Game #6 of their North Division Semi-Final on Sunday afternoon, faced with the opportunity to advance to the second round of the post-season before a home crowd. Their lineup included no fewer than 7 players who played for the Maple Leafs this season, including former New Jersey Devils goalie Scott Clemmensen, and promising NHL rookie Jiri Tlusty.

 

Yet a scant crowd of only 1,829 fans were in attendance at Ricoh Coliseum. In fact the Marlies have drawn a mere 6,259 patrons combined in their first three home games of this post-season.

 

In contrast there were 7,022 fans in Game #5 played at San Antonio's AT & T Center on Friday night alone - exceeding Toronto's three-game attendance figure.

 

Toronto proclaims itself as a hockey 'hotbed', a 'mecca' of the sport if you will. Yet who would have thought their AHL team would be outdrawn at the gate by fans in the Lone Star state?

 

Numerous reasons have been cited for poor attendance at Marlies game. For one, the team is sorely lacking in promotion and advertising. Over the course of the 2007-08 season, the Air Canada Centre which hosts the Leafs and also the NBA's Raptors, had more Marlies ads on the Jumbotron during Raptors games than they did at Leafs games.

 

Lack of public transit accessibility for the Ricoh Coliseum causes an inconvenience for fans. However, it is worth noting that the MLS soccer team Toronto FC, which plays at BMO field - practically next door to Ricoh Coliseum on the Exhibition Grounds - draws over 20,000 fans for each game. In assessing the Marlies attendance woes, the public transit argument appears to be an excuse as opposed to a reason.

 

In simplest terms, Toronto appears to be a "Leafs" market, rather than a "hockey" market - evidenced by the fact that not only the Marlies, but also the OHL junior teams based in Brampton, Mississauga and Oshawa - all considered to be part of the Greater Toronto Area - do not play in front of sellout arenas, as may be expected.

 

The Marlies have a fantastic on-ice product, having assembled a team that won 50 of its 80 games this year, and will be poised to play an exciting Game Seven on Monday night.

 

It's unfortunate that not enough people in Toronto appreciate them.

 

Quick Hits:

 

- The Marlies’ top scorers in the playoffs are John Mitchell (3 goals, 1 assist, 4 points), Kris Newbury (2-2-4), Ben Ondrus (1-3-4) and Jiri Tlusty (1-3-4).

- Winger Robbie Earl missed the entire opening playoff series with a groin muscle injury. Earl was third on the Marlies with 47 points in 66 games, and is listed as day-to-day.

- The Marlies signed Dale Mitchell to an Amateur Try-Out contract on Wednesday. Mitchell was the Maple Leafs first pick (third round, 74^th overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. The 19-year-old native of Etobicoke had 60 points in 63 regular season game for the Oshawa Generals, plus 16 points in 15 playoff games in 2007-08.

 

 

Quick Quotes:

- Clemmensen assessed the contributions of Battaglia, Newbury and himself in bringing their NHL experience to the table: “We do have older guys who are asked to lead the team and show (the younger players) what it’s like to be a pro. A leader is someone who makes everybody else better, and I think everybody elevated their game, in Game Seven.”

- Head coach Greg Gilbert described the style of the Marlies’ next opponents. “Syracuse are a very aggressive team. They try and get you off your game by talking and chirping, and doing all the sideshow stuff. We’ve got to maintain our focus and discipline. If we do that, we’ll hev the opportunity to be on the power-play quite a bit. “

- Ex-Marlie Brendan Bell has adjusted well to his new team, the Rampage. “We’ve done a pretty good job in cultivating the fan base in San Antonio. We’ve got a good fan club and the booster club’s good. But, it’s fun playing here in Toronto, being around the city and the hockey feel is a lot of fun.”

 

 

Marlies vs. Syracuse Crunch, 2007-08 Regular Season

·          Oct. 28/07: Marlies 5 vs. Syracuse 2

·          Nov. 16/07: Marlies 5 at Syracuse 4

·          Nov. 24/07: Marlies 4 vs. Syracuse 3 (overtime)

·          Dec. 19/07: Marlies 4 vs. Syracuse 3

·          Feb. 29/08: Marlies 1 at Syracuse 2 (overtime)

·          Mar. 7/08: Marlies 2 at.Syracuse 3

·          Mar. 9/08: Marlies 1 vs. Syracuse 2 (overtime)

·          Mar. 26/08: Marlies 2 at Syracuse 3 (shootout)