ROSEMONT, Ill. (theahl.com)… Vinnie LettieriA goal with 8:28 left in regulation sent the Toronto Marlies to a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Wolves in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals on Friday night.
Lettieri collected the puck in his own zone, outmaneuvered four Chicago defenders, and drove to the net before firing the ball past the goalie. Amir Miftakhov (2-1). Toronto had pulled within two points of Chicago before Lettieri’s goal tied the game at 2-2. The Marlies have won five straight road games and are 8-3 on the road this season.
Lettieri, who also recorded an assist on Toronto’s first goal and an empty netter in the game’s final minute, leads the Calder Cup Playoffs with 10 goals and 20 points in 19 games.
Chicago hosts Game 2 on Sunday afternoon (4 ET, Sportsnet One) before the series moves to Toronto.
In Toronto Artur Akhtyamov (12-6) made his league-leading 18th start and had 26 saves. Miftakhov picked up his third straight opportunity in net for the Wolves, finishing with 21 stops.
In Chicago Bradley Nadeau opened the scoring 11:24 into the game with his sixth goal of the postseason and fourth in his last five contests. However, Marlies rookie defenseman Ben DanfordThe pro’s first goal tied the game with 2:15 left in the period.
Skyler Brind’Amour restored Chicago’s lead at 14:13 of the second period, finishing a 2-on-1. However, Toronto once again chipped away at Chicago’s lead as the Marlies went ahead Cédric Paré he was released and hit Mftakhov in the last minute of the second half.
Bo Groulx again Borya Valis recorded two assists apiece for the Marlies.
(Toronto leads series, 1-0)
Game 1 – Friday, June 12 – Toronto 4, CHICAGO 2
Game 2 – Sun., June 14 – Toronto at Chicago, 4:00
Game 3 – Tue., June 16 – Chicago at Toronto, 7:00
Game 4 – Thursday, June 18 – Chicago at Toronto, 7:00
*Game 5 – Friday, June 19 – Chicago at Toronto, 7:00
*Game 6 – Sun., June 21 – Toronto at Chicago, 4:00
*Game 7 – Tue., June 23 – Toronto at Chicago, 8:00
*if necessary… All times in Mpumalanga
In the American Hockey League for two decades, TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams and currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for the league’s top scorer in 2016.
