Marlies start slowly, score five straight to slay Monsters

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A monster comeback on the road Thursday gave the Toronto Marlies an early edge in their best-of-five North Division final series.

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After the Cleveland Monsters held a 2-0 lead late in the second period, the Maple Leafs’ farm team struck lightning and took Game 1 by a 5-2 count.

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After Easton Cowan got the Marlies rolling with a five-hole power-play goal, Bo Groulx put a playoff career-best three-point night together, two assists and an empty-net goal. Toronto did it all on just 15 shots against Zach Sawchenko, while a busy Artur Akhtymaov made 32 stops.

Cowan and Marshall Rifai scored quickly in a span of 2:01 late in the middle period after Hudson Fasching and Hunter McKown built an early advantage for the Monsters.

Rifai had not scored in 20 regular-season games, his one Leafs call-up appearance, or in the first eight playoff tests this spring. For Cowan, the goal was his third of the playoffs and seventh point, bringing him to 103 in post-season action since he started going deep into every season with the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights.

“It’s fun playing hockey this late, showing up to play in a T-shirt.,” Cowan said before the game. “Good weather and good vibes.”

Toronto dressed the Maple Leafs’ 2024 first-round pick, defenceman Ben Danford, in his pro debut.

Alex Nylander and Ryan Tverberg had the other Toronto goals. Akhtyamov had overcome a rough Game 4 at home in the Laval series to shine in the clincher and earn the start in this match. Game 2 is Saturday night back at Rocket Arena.

lhornby@postmedia.com

X: @sunhornby

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