Both conference finals series resume with an all-important Game 5 tonight. In Calder Cup Playoff history, when the best-of-seven series is tied at two games apiece, the winner of Game 5 has gone on to take the series 119 of 144 times (82.6 percent).
The Eastern Conference Finals will go into tonight’s Game 5 at the Coca-Cola Coliseum (7 ET, 
) after Wilkes-Barre/Scranton pulled out a 4-3 win on Wednesday.
Rutger McGroarty (4-5-9) capitals in an Easton Cowan turnover with 2:59 left in regulation to break a 3-3 tie and send the Penguins to their second straight win.
“It starts with me. I have to get better,” said Cowan, who returned to Toronto’s lineup Wednesday after missing the past two games.
“He’s going to get back out there and be Easton Cowan, the best version of himself. Get it, fix it and forget it,” Marlies head coach. John Gruden said. “He’s going to be a champion for many years. He’s a gamer. I’m sure he’d like to have it again, but that doesn’t define who he is as a person and it doesn’t define who he is as a Toronto Maple Leaf.”
Toronto opened up a 2-0 lead with a shorthanded goal Bo Groulx (4-3-7) without a bad performance by the Penguins goalie Sergei Murashov (8-5, 2.01, .934), followed by a power play goal by Vinnie Lettieri (8-8-16).
The Penguins responded in the second half with Scooter Brickey (1-2-3) scoring his first AHL goal, another defenseman Describe Pietila (1-1-2) making his first playoff appearance after scoring two goals in 66 regular season games, and Gabe Klassen (2-5-7) gave Wilkes-Barre/Scranton its first lead of the night with 51 seconds left in the stanza.
“Obviously, our first half wasn’t good,” the Penguins forward Avery Hayes (3-3-6) told The Athletic’s Josh Yohe. “But I think you just saw the character of the people we have on this team. We finally started playing well. And if we play our best hockey, I don’t think there are many people who can play with us.”
The Marlies got their third special teams goal of the night there Luke Haymes (3-7-10) tied things at 3-3 on the power play with 6:56 left in regulation. Toronto is 4-for-10 on the power play in the series, and 9-for-10 on the penalty kill.
“They’re a good hockey team,” Gruden said of the Penguins. “That’s the tough part on the other side – for them to come out there, they’re doing something right. It’s a good series. It’s a tough way to lose, but it’s hockey. We can’t hang our heads.”
Quick Highlights:
- The road team has won 11 consecutive meetings between the Penguins and Marlies. The last home win for either team was a 5-2 decision by the Marlies on Dec. 20, 2022.
- In Toronto Artur Akhtyamov (9-6, 2.31, .920) has allowed four goals in consecutive games. He had given up three goals or fewer in his first 13 playoff games.
- Jacob Quillan (1-6-7) did not play for the Marlies in Game 4.
- Scooter Brickey has three points in three games for the Penguins since making his postseason debut in Game 2 as a substitute Alex Alexeyev.
In the Western Conference, Chicago’s 2-1 win on Wednesday evened the series heading into tonight’s Game 5 at Allstate Arena (8 ET, ).
The Wolves’ versatile pair of Justin Robidas (5-5-10) and Bradley Nadeau (3-9-12) scored in Game 4, as well Cayden Primeau (8-5, 2.30, .928) made 17 of 33 saves in the third period to stop the Eagles.
“They came to us early, but we faced the storm and we took them to them,” said Primeau. “When we play like that, we’re a tough team to beat.”
Robidas’ goal 10:52 into the second period broke the deadlock. It was also Chicago’s second shorthanded tally in as many nights.
After Nadeau extended his lead to 2-0 early in the third game, Alex Barré-Boulet (5-6-11) got Colorado on the board with 8:39 to play, scoring his second goal of the series against former Laval Rocket teammate Primeau.
Shots on goal in the series are 140-93 in favor of Colorado, including 51-24 in the first half of the four games.
“This is a team that really believes in itself and how it can play,” the Wolves coach Spiros Anastas said. “If they bring it and start on time, I fully trust this team because they are confident.”
Quick Highlights:
- Chicago was without its leading scorer for the regular season Felix Unger Sörum the second is a specific night on Wednesday.
- Bradley Nadeau again Justin Robidas they lead the Wolves by four points apiece in the series. Tristen Nielsen, TJ Hughes again TJ Tynan all four points for the Eagles.
- Trent Miner (10-4, 1.55, .935) turned away 27 shots against the Eagles in Game 4, allowing two goals or fewer for the 11th time in his 14 playoff games.
- Miner is 3-0 with a .953 save percentage (3 GA on 64 shots) following a loss this postseason.
