Marlies top Penguins in Game 5, one win away from AHL final

Game 6 is Sunday in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

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Published Jun 05, 2026  •  Last updated 25 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

Easton Cowan of the Toronto Marlies celebrates after scoring a goal on June 5, 2026 at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Photo by Barry McCluskey /Toronto Marlies

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Easton Cowan was good as his word, his Toronto Marlies better when they had to be, in what might have been their final home game of the season.

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After his giveaway allowed the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to win Game 4 and tie the AHL Eastern Conference final, Cowan came through with his aforementioned atonement. Clinging to a one-goal third period led on Friday, Cowan’s toe drag on defenceman Chase Pietila set up a five-hole snap past goaltender Sergei Murashov, sending the Marlies on their way to a 5-1 win.

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Starting Sunday at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, the Marlies have two chances to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins farm team there and advance to the Calder Cup championship against the survivor of the West final between the Colorado Eagles and Chicago Wolves.

Toronto had little choice but to reverse a pair of home losses in a wacky trend that saw the previous 11 consecutive meetings between these clubs since December of 2022 lean towards the visitors.

Credit the Marlies’ own Russian goalie, Artur Akhtyamov, for holding them in, after giving up up four goals in each of the past two at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

Speaking of which, Friday was another taste of what a full hockey arena sounds like in June in Toronto, with 8,000 getting behind the Leafs’ affiliate when things got physical and fights broke out late in the match.

The Marlies were flagged for some early rough stuff penalties, one leading to the game’s first goal in the middle period by Mikhail Ilyin. Toronto got that right back when energy forward Landon Sim tipped Ben Danford blueline wrister through. Last year’s top pick Danford continues to shine, while William Villeneuve is also thriving on the blueline. He has a Marlies-record 14 post-season assists for a defenceman.

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After the Marlies had tripped all over themselves on their first advantage and were overdue for another, Cowan chipped to Bo Groulx who found mesh from a tough angle.

Forward Vinni Lettieri, Villeneuve and Toronto captain Logan Shaw still occupy the top three spots in AHL playoff scoring, with Danford’s veteran partner, Marshall Rifai, adding an empty-netter.

Akhtyamov took a .920 save percentage into the game and somehow got his lower pad on Atley Calvert’s shot off a screen. In keeping his name in the picture for a Leafs job, the position always in a state of flux, the 2020 draft pick had given up three goals or fewer his first 13 post-season starts.

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