The Toronto Marlies erased a 5-2 deficit in the second period of a thrilling contest in Cleveland Friday night, picking up a point in an eventual shootout loss to the Monsters.
Cleveland opened the scoring just 1:25 into the game to kick off a fast and frantic first frame, with Dmytro Timashov tying things up four minutes later on a long point shot through traffic. Timashov’s third of the season was assisted by Andreas Borgman and Adam Cracknell.
The Marlies grabbed the lead minutes later when Adam Brooks flipped a puck high in the air and Trevor Moore raced after it, beating two Monsters’ defencemen to break in alone and score on the chance. Borgman had the secondary assist.
From there, Cleveland answered back with three straight goals in the first scored by Eric Robinson, Brett Gallant and Kevin Stunlund to take a 4-2 lead into the intermission.
Dalpe scored his second of the night just over a minute into the second period and the Marlies found themselves facing a 5-2 deficit.
Josh Jooris cut into the lead after Pierre Engvall made a great play at the top of the slot and found Jooris all alone out front to tap in the puck. Timothy Liljegren had the secondary assist.
The Marlies continued pressing and converted on a power play chance just past the midway mark of the second as Sam Gagner got a piece of a point shot from Liljegren. Chris Mueller picked up the secondary helper.
Less than three minutes later, Adam Brooks, playing in his first game of the season, corralled a loose puck, spun at the top of the circle and fired it home to tie things up heading into the third. Moore and Mason Marchment had the helpers on Brooks’ equalizer.
Dalpe completed his hat trick at the 3:11 mark of the third and the Marlies again found themselves behind, but a laser from Rasmus Sandin with 3:39 to go tied the game yet again and forced overtime. Jeremy Bracco and Carl Grundstrom contributed to Sandin’s second with assists.
Overtime solved nothing and the two teams went to a shootout, where Nathan Gerbe scored the winner for the Monsters.
The Marlies move to 4-4-0-2 on the season and have now earned at least a point in five straight games, while Cleveland improve to 7-3-1-0 for a share of first in the North Division.
Eamon McAdam entered the game for the Marlies in the second period and stopped 22 of 23 shots in his first AHL appearance this season. Brad Thiessen, who entered the game in relief of Matiss Kivlenieks, made 14 saves on 15 shots for the Monsters.
Both teams went 1-for-3 on the power play.
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