Opponents This Week: (Oct. 16, 17): The Marlies will be playing a home-and- home series this weekend, which begins Friday night in Rochester against the Americans, AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers. Toronto and Rochester meet again the next day (Saturday) at Ricoh Coliseum at 3:00 p.m. This will mark the first two of eight meetings between the division rivals this season. During the 2008-2009 season, the Americans finished in seventh place in the North Division with a record of 29-43-0-8 for 66 points. Last season the Marlies played eight games against the Amerks, compiling a 6-1-1-0 record, and were perfect against them at Blue Cross Arena. The Marlies scored 32 goals in eight games against Rochester. The Americans currently rank second in the North Division with a 2-1-1-0 record for five points. Rochester's power play at home ranks third in the AHL with a 31.3% success rate. Michal Repik, Jeff Taffe and Graham Mink are all tied for the team lead with four points each. Toronto native, Kenndal McArdle was named the 2008-09 Connors & Ferris Comeback Player of the Year. Former Vancouver Canucks defenceman Rory Fitzpatrick is the captain of the Amerks.
MARLIES HEADLINES:
Starting Off Strong: The Marlies opened their 2009-10 regular with two consecutive victories over Hamilton and Grand Rapids. Toronto dropped their first game of the season on Sunday afternoon to the Rockford IceHogs. The Marlies knocked off the Hamilton Bulldogs 3-2 in a shootout on October 4 to open their season. On Saturday against the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Marlies erased a 2-0 first period deficit and beat their division-rivals 3-2 with a late third period tally from Andre Deveaux. Toronto currently ranks third in the North Division with a record of 2-1-0-0 for four points. The Marlies will play four of their next five games on the road.
Devo Time: Andre Deveaux has recorded the game winning goal in both of the Marlies first two wins of the season. On Sunday, October 4 against Hamilton, Deveaux netted the shootout-out winner in the fourth round in Toronto's 3-2 victory. On Saturday, the Freeport, Bahamas native broke a 2-2 tie against the Griffins with 36 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Marlies the 3-2 win. Deveaux was named the game's first star of the night on Saturday against Grand Rapids for his game-winning tally. He ranks first on the Marlies with a plus-two rating.
Jiri Back At It: Jiri Tlusty has picked up right where he left off from a season ago. Over the weekend Tlusty recorded back-to-back two point games. On Saturday versus Grand Rapids, Tlusty scored the Marlies first goal of the night and then set-up Andre Deveaux for the game winning goal with 36 seconds remaining in the third period. In Sunday's game against the Rockford IceHogs, he scored two goals in Toronto's 5-3 loss. Tlusty was named the game's second star in both games over the weekend. Last season he ranked second on the team and 19th in the AHL with 66 points (25 goals, 41 assists).
Reim Time: James Reimer made his first start of the season on Saturday against the Grand Rapids Griffins and turned aside 27 saves for his second career AHL victory. After allowing two goals in the first period, Reimer made 20 saves over the final two periods, including 12 in the third period to secure the Marlies victory. Last year with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL, Reimer won the Kelly Cup and was named the playoff MVP.
Welcome Back: The Toronto Marlies opened their 2009-10 season at Ricoh Coliseum on Sunday, October 4 against the Hamilton Bulldogs with a 3-2 shootout victory. Kyle Rogers and Ben Ondrus each scored for Toronto and Andre Deveaux notched the shootout winner. Joey MacDonald was solid in net, earning second star honours, making 32 saves in the victory. In total, the Marlies will play five home games and four road games during the month of October.
Behind The Bench: The Marlies have a brand new coaching staff this season. Dallas Eakins was named the head coach of the Toronto Marlies on August 4, 2009. Eakins previously served as the Director of Player Development for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. Gord Dineen and Derek King will both be behind the bench as Eakins' assistants. Dineen spent the 2008-09 as the head coach with the Iowa Chops. King returns to the organization after playing 161 games for the Maple Leafs from 1997 to 2000 during which he scored 45 goals and 53 assists for 98 points.
Making Their Debut: The Marlies dressed nine new players in their home opening game against the Hamilton Bulldogs on October 4. Defensemen Brendan Mikkelson, Carl Gunnarsson, Brennan Evans and Juraj Mikus; forwards Richard Greenop, Greg Scott, Christian Hanson and Tyler Bozak and goaltender Joey MacDonald all made their Marlie debuts.
Starting in Scotland: The Marlies played three games in Edinburgh, Scotland to begin their preseason. Toronto dropped their opening match to the Hamilton Bulldogs 1-0. The Marlies bounced back with a 6-1 victory over the hometown Edinburgh Capitals in their second game. In the Gardiner Cup final matchup against the Bulldogs, the Marlies lost 3-1. Andre Deveaux and Ryan Hamilton led all scorers with three points each.
MARLIES QUICK HITS:
- Christian Hanson recorded his first career AHL points (two assists) in Saturday's 3-2 win over Grand Rapids. Tyler Bozak collected his first AHL point (assist) on Sunday versus the Rockford IceHogs. Jonas Frogren netted his first career AHL goal on Sunday against Rockford.
- Jiri Tlusty recorded a goal and an assist with a plus-two rating in the Marlies win on Saturday. Last season Tlusty ranked second on the Marlies with 14 multi-point games.
- Alex Foster recorded his 100th point in his AHL career on Sunday with an assist on Jonas Frogren's first period goal. Foster is the Marlies all-time games played leader at 213 games.
- Juraj Mikus netted his first career AHL goal on Saturday against Grand Rapids and Carl Gunnarsson notched his first career AHL point (assist).
- The past two Marlies home openers have gone to a shootout. Last year the Marlies lost to the Binghamton Senators 2-1 in a shootout. Toronto is now 2-2-0-1 in their season openers. - Alex Foster and Brennan Evans were named assistant captains prior to their season opening game; while Ben Ondrus began his third season as captain of the Marlies. Ondrus scored the game tying goal mid-way through the third period on October 4 versus Hamilton.
- The Marlies recalled goaltender Andrew Engelage from the Reading Royals of the ECHL last Thursday. Engelage appeared in one preseason game with the Marlies, making 13 saves on 14 shots against the Bulldogs on September 30.
Reebok/AHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE
For the week ending October 11, 2009, the Toronto Marlies nominated forward Jiri Tlusty for consideration as the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week. Tlusty scored a goal in both games this weekend for the Marlies, including a two- goal performance in Toronto's 5-3 loss to Rockford on Sunday. The Slany, CZE native notched a goal and an assist with a plus-two rating in the Marlies 3-2 win on Saturday against Grand Rapids. Tlusty set-up Andre Deveaux for the game-winning marker with only 36 seconds remaining in regulation time against the Griffins. Tlusty leads the club with four points (three goals, one assist).
MARLIES ON THE WEB
Follow the Marlies all season long for the latest, most up-to-date information on their official web site, torontomarlies.com
MARLIES UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:
Friday, October 30 vs. Adirondack Phantoms - Live Band / Halloween Night
Sunday, November 1 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - Veterans Night
MARLIES RECAP:
Saturday, October 10 vs. Grand Rapids
Deveaux's Game-Winning Goal Propels Marlies Past Grand Rapids
Marlies Goals: Tlusty (1), Mikus (1), Deveaux (1)
Griffins Goals: Williams (1), Janik (1)
Three Stars: 1. Deveaux (TOR), 2. Tlusty (TOR), 3. Mikus (TOR)
Recap: The Marlies broke a 2-2 tie late in the third period with a goal by Andre Deveaux to propel them to their second straight win to open the regular season. Grand Rapids opened the first period with two goals, including one by former Marlie Jeremy Williams. Toronto chipped into the Griffins lead with a goal from Jiri Tlusty on the power play. Juraj Mikus tied the game late in the second period with his first career AHL goal. With only 36 seconds remaining in regulation, Andre Deveaux redirected a pass from Tlusty to give the Marlies the 3-2 victory. James Reimer made 27 saves in the win, including 12 in the third frame.
Sunday, October 11 vs. Rockford
IceHogs' Four-Goal Second Period Too Much For Marlies
Marlies Goals: Frogren (1), Tlusty 2 (3)
IceHogs Goals: Aliu (1), Boyle (1), Klinkhammer (1), Ewing (1), Dowell (1)
Three Stars: 1. Dowell (RFD), 2. Tlusty (TOR), 3. MacArthur
Recap: The Marlies couldn't hold onto a 2-1 first period lead, dropping their first game of the season 5-3 to the IceHogs on Sunday afternoon at Ricoh Coliseum. After Rockford went up 1-0, Jonas Frogren scored his first career AHL goal to tie the game. Jiri Tlusty took advantage of a Toronto power play, putting the Marlies on top 2-1 at the first intermission. The IceHogs responded in the second period with four goals, with two of them coming on special teams. Tlusty notched his second of the game late in the third. Tyler Bozak registered his first career AHL point (assist) and James Reimer made 21 saves in the loss.
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