IceCaps Can't Catch Marlies
December 22, 2012 - American Hockey League (AHL)
St. John's IceCaps News Release
The St. John's IceCaps dropped a hard-fought 4-2 decision to the Toronto Marlies Saturday afternoon at Ricoh Coliseum.
Ben Scrivens made 30 saves while Keith Aucoin had a goal and two assists for a first-star performance in the win. For St. John's, Ray Sawada and Ben Maxwell found the back of the net and Eddie Pasquale made 24 saves.
The IceCaps finish up their five-game pre-Christmas road trip at 3-2-0-0.
The IceCaps opened the scoring at 15:14 of the first period on Sawada's seventh of the season. Just as the Marlies' Korbinian Holzer stepped back onto the ice after serving a holding minor, Paul Postma worked the puck to Zach Redmond, whose shot was deflected nicely by Sawada and past Scrivens to give the IceCaps a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.
Toronto tied the score at one at 15:02 of the second frame. Aucoin gained the IceCaps zone on the left side and sent a cross-ice feed to a streaking Spencer Abbott, who roofed a shot on Pasquale's short side to knot things up.
The Marlies appeared to take the lead when Nicolas Deschamps' rebound chance was initially ruled a goal. Upon further review, it was deemed the that puck went across the goal line, hit Marlies' forward Brad Ross' knee and came out, never fully crossing the line and keeping the score tied at one.
Toronto did take the lead minutes later on captain Ryan Hamilton's 12th of the season. Hamilton skated over the IceCaps blueline and dropped a pass to defenceman Jesse Blacker. Blacker moved forward and waited before firing a pass back to Hamilton in front of the net, who tipped the puck past Pasquale to give his team a 2-1 lead, which they carried into the second period intermission.
The Marlies picked up an insurance marker with a power play tally late in the third. After Patrice Cormier was whistled for boarding and given a five-minute major and a game misconduct, Toronto cashed in on the man advantage on a goal by Simon Gysbers. The Mariles' defenceman snuck in from the point during a goalmouth scramble and backhanded home his second of the season to give the home team a 3-1 advantage.
The IceCaps moved to within one on Ben Maxwell's second goal of the season, with Pasquale on the bench for the extra attacker. Head coach Keith McCambridge decided to call Pasquale to the bench with nearly 2:30 to play and was rewarded as the IceCaps pressured the Marlies down low. Carl Klingberg passed to Max Macenauer in the slot, who slipped a no-look feed to Maxwell on the other side and the B.C. native calmly fired the puck into the open cage to make it 3-2.
However, Aucoin sealed the victory for the Marlies withan empty-netter with 1:07.
St. John's went 0-for-2 on the power play while killing off two of the Marlies three opportunities with the man advantage.
The IceCaps will now disperse for a brief Christmas break before returning to Hamilton for a rematch with the Bulldogs next Friday, Dec. 28 at Copps Coliseum.
Catch all the action with broadcaster Brian Rogers at stjohnsicecaps.com and on 930 AM This Is Newfoundland Labrador, or watch live on Sportsnet (all regions) and ahllive.com. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. with the pregame show beginning at 8:30 (all times Newfoundland).
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