Logan Shaw Lifts Marlies Past Chicago for 2-0 Ahl Lead
The Ahl finals changed fast for Toronto. Logan Shaw scored at 3:46 of overtime, and the Marlies left Chicago with a 2-0 lead in the Calder Cup Finals.
That finish gave Toronto a cushion in the best-of-seven series after a game that swung through four Marlies goals and a late Chicago push. Shaw’s overtime winner was his third game-winning goal of the postseason.
Shaw Finishes The Job
Toronto built its scoring around Shaw and Bo Groulx. Groulx opened the night at 11:17 of the first period, then added another at 13:21 of the third period.
Shaw struck twice as well. He scored at 15:45 of the second period before ending it in overtime, a sequence that pushed his postseason total to 17 points in 22 games.
Vinni Lettieri was in the middle of both of Groulx’s goals and the overtime winner. He had the lone assist on the first-period tally, the secondary assist on Groulx’s third-period goal and the primary assist on Shaw’s overtime finish.
Nylander And Villeneuve Add Touches
Alex Nylander gave Toronto another scoring burst at 4:12 of the second period when he scored on a penalty shot. It was his first penalty shot attempt in either the regular season or postseason in the Ahl.
William Villeneuve helped turn the game into a Toronto possession-heavy night. He collected the primary assist on Shaw’s second-period goal and on Groulx’s third-period goal, then added the secondary assist on the overtime winner.
Villeneuve now has the most assists recorded by a Marlies player in a single postseason and sits at 19 points in 21 postseason games. Matt Benning picked up the secondary assist on Shaw’s second-period goal.
Akhtyamov Holds The Lead
Artur Akhtyamov faced 32 shots and stopped 28 of them, finishing with a 13-6-0 postseason record and a 2.21 goals-against average. Toronto needed those saves after Chicago kept the game alive long enough to force overtime.
Bo Groulx also kept his postseason production moving. He has 13 points in 20 postseason games, and Lettieri’s recent stretch now includes consecutive three-point games.
Toronto returns home with the series edge already in hand. Chicago now has to chase the first two games of the Calder Cup Finals, while the Marlies carry a 2-0 advantage into the next stage of the best-of-seven set.
