John Gruden, usually composed, appeared visibly frustrated during the post-game press conference following the Toronto Marlies’ 5-4 loss in Laval on Saturday. The Marlies twice squandered a lead and handed Laval a regulation victory in the final minute, even after they seemed to have salvaged a point late in the third period.

First Period
The Marlies seemed to abandon the strategy that worked in their Friday win. In the opening 10 minutes, they turned the puck over repeatedly, allowing Laval to attack in waves. The Rocket should have built a multi-goal lead before breaking the deadlock just past the midway point. A neutral-zone giveaway led to a quick Laval transition, where Owen Beck found Adam Engström in space above the left circle. Despite Matt Murray having time to set himself, Engström beat him cleanly with a low shot into the far corner.

During “Teddy Bear Toss Night,” the crowd threw gifts onto the ice, giving Toronto a chance to reset after a lengthy delay. Following the break, the Marlies tied the game with a power-play goal. Alex Steeves blasted a one-timer from the right circle, marking the moment he became the all-time leading point scorer for the franchise.

However, the Marlies failed to build on the momentum, squandering additional power-play opportunities, including 66 seconds of 5-on-3 time. At the 15-minute mark, Matt Murray left the game due to injury (perhaps explaining his soft goal) and was replaced by Dennis Hildeby.

Second Period
Toronto found their rhythm in the second period, playing solid defense while generating good scoring chances. Hildeby made a key save on Lucas Condetta, one of only six shots he faced in the period. The Marlies took the lead with seven minutes left. Topi Niemelä and Matthew Barbolini set up a break down the right wing, where Robert Mastrosimone’s speed turned it into a 2-on-1. Mastrosimone sold the pass to Sam Stevens, getting Laval’s goalie, Connor Hughes, to stay deep in the net before scoring himself.

An insurance goal would have been crucial. After breaking up an odd-man rush by Laval, the Marlies countered with Steeves on a breakaway, but he shot over the crossbar.

Third Period
The Marlies’ third-period mistakes erased all the good work from the first 40 minutes. Matteo Pietroniro’s giveaway led to a tying goal from Beck in the high slot. Hildeby had made a fantastic save just moments before but was left exposed. Despite a strong sequence of saves by Hildeby, including a stop on Alex Barre-Boulet’s one-timer, Toronto’s defensive lapses allowed Laval to capitalize.

Against the run of play, the Marlies regained the lead with nine minutes left. Mastrosimone intercepted a pass in the Marlies’ zone and sped down the ice to create a 2-on-2, setting up Stevens for a redirection that Hughes stopped. However, Mastrosimone scored on the rebound, giving him his second of the game.

Toronto immediately found themselves on the penalty kill after Steeves was called for boarding. In a chaotic sequence, the Marlies failed to capitalize on a 3-on-1 rush, allowing Laval to score on the counterattack. Laval took the lead 76 seconds later after Toronto struggled to clear the puck from their defensive zone, with Vincent Arseneau scoring to put Laval ahead.

Laval almost added an insurance goal five minutes later, but Hildeby made an incredible save on Laurent Dauphin during an odd-man rush. A minute later, Dakota Mermis blocked a crucial shot, then drew a penalty during four-on-four play. Toronto capitalized quickly on the power play, with Steeves scoring to tie the game at 4-4.

With just 20 seconds left, however, the Marlies lost a defensive zone faceoff cleanly, and Beck capitalized, skating around the top of the circle to score with a low shot, sealing Laval’s win.

Post-Game Notes
– This marked Toronto’s third regulation defeat of the season, and their first loss to a team other than Cleveland. Despite slipping to fourth in the North Division, they remain just five points behind first place with four games in hand.

– Robert Mastrosimone, who had scored only once heading into the game, earned a brace for his efforts. His recent chemistry with Sam Stevens has been a bright spot for the Marlies.

– Congratulations to Alex Steeves on becoming the Marlies’ all-time leading point scorer. He led all players with nine shots and has seven goals in the last four games, showing the rewards of his recent focus on improving his game.