By Stan Smith
The Toronto Marlies have faced a significant dip in offensive production over the past couple of games following a dominant 7-2 victory over the Laval Rocket. In the five games since, the Marlies have only scored six goals, with four coming in a 5-4 loss to Laval. Toronto’s offensive struggles were particularly evident in back-to-back shutout losses to the Syracuse Crunch (5-0) and Rochester Americans (1-0), where they failed to find the back of the net in regulation or overtime.
In a rare occurrence, goaltender Artur Akhtyamov posted a shutout and recorded a loss in a 1-0 shootout defeat to Rochester. The Marlies managed only one goal in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Manitoba Moose, and while they followed up with a 2-1 shootout win against Laval, the lack of consistent scoring is becoming a growing concern.
Marlies Individual Performances
Despite the team’s offensive struggles, some standout individual efforts still existed. Fraser Minten was the top scorer for the Marlies during this tough stretch, registering three points (one goal and two assists) across the five games. Nick Abruzzese also contributed with two goals, while Alex Nylander, Joe Blandisi, and Ryan Tverberg added one goal.
On defense, Topi Niemelä and William Villeneuve each recorded two assists. The Marlies have also dealt with the absence of AHL top scorer Alex Steeves, who was called up to the Maple Leafs. He’s since been sent back to the Marlies after struggling to maintain a spot in the Leafs’ lineup. With 29 goals, Steeves remains on top of the AHL scoring leaderboard despite his absence from the Marlies’ recent games.
Marlies Goaltending Outlook
The Marlies’ goaltenders have had mixed results during this stretch. Dennis Hildeby, after a tough 5-0 loss to Syracuse, bounced back with a strong performance in a 2-1 win against the Moose, allowing just one goal on 31 shots.
Akhtyamov, after allowing five goals in the loss to Laval, posted 65 minutes of shutout goaltending in the 1-0 shootout loss to the Americans. In his lone game, Matt Murray allowed two goals on 27 shots in the 2-1 overtime loss to the Moose.
Marlies Playoff Picture and Outlook
The Marlies are currently in third place in the North Division, with a record of 31-25-5. However, their recent struggles have put their playoff position in jeopardy. They are only one point ahead of the Cleveland Monsters and six points behind the Laval Rocket. With the Marlies’ upcoming game against Cleveland, Toronto will be looking to break a 16-game losing streak against them, dating back to March 6, 2022.
With the AHL’s playoff format requiring a top-three finish in the division for a first-round bye, the Marlies must find a way to regain their offensive form and secure their playoff spot. Last season, they finished fifth and lost in the first round after a tough series with the Belleville Senators, all three games going to overtime. The Marlies must step up their game to avoid a similar fate this time.
If the Marlies can’t score, what now? They’ll need to ramp up their game if they’re going to make the AHL postseason.
