Marlies win series, provide parent Maple Leafs with some May Day hockey

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Published Apr 26, 2026  •  Last updated 14 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

Rochester Americans’ Olivier Nadeau hangs his head as Marlies’ Ryan Tverberg celebrates his early first-period goal with teammates Henry Thrun and Jacob Quillan on Sunday at the Coca-Cola Coliseum. The Marlies advanced to the next round of the Calder Cup playoffs with a 4-2 victory.   Photo by Toronto Marlies photo

The American Hockey League may be developmental in nature, but the playoffs are a different animal.

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And when it came to an elimination game, the Toronto Marlies had a few grizzly bears to ensure their playoff survival. Led by the line of Bo Groulx, centre and team captain Logan Shaw and Vinni Lettieri — all with many NHL and AHL scars — Toronto defeated the Rochester Americans 4-2 on Sunday at the Coca-Cola Coliseum.

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They brought the right mix for a team feeling the jitters after underdog Rochester, with some of its top guns up with the NHL Buffalo Sabres, shut them out in Game 2 on Friday to even the best-of-three opening-round series 1-1.

Shaw scored twice in the second period and almost matched Lettieri’s Game 1 hat trick, while Groulx and Lettieri added one assist each.

“Those little things that go unnoticed sometimes, they don’t go unnoticed when you want to win,” observed Marlies’ coach John Gruden. “We’re only allowed so many veterans (in the lineup per night).”

“That’s our job, to lead by example,” Shaw said. “We met (as a line) and wanted more from ourselves after (Game 2’s 4-0 shutout loss) and then everyone will follow.

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“You can’t score every night, but you have to do the right things and I thought we did (matched against the Amerks’ top line) and chipped in.”

Grizzled veterans lead the way

Groulx, the youngest of the trio at 26, has been a career centre, but moved to the wing on the farm. Lettieri, who did not get the late-season call to the Maple Leafs as many other Marlies did, had 42 points in 55 regular season games and now has five post-season points in three games.

“(No NHL opportunity) was obviously very disappointing, but you put that behind you, focus where you are and where your feet are,” said Lettieri, whose 155 NHL starts came with Minnesota, Boston, Anaheim and the New York Rangers.

“It’s not a one-man process here. From the coaching staff down, equipment staff and training staff, everyone plays a huge part.

No one took a step back here from camp.

“(On Sunday) guys were re-loading and sitting in the right spots. It starts with our captain and Bo does what he does. (Veterans) help on the forecheck and when we get the puck back, we have outs right away.”

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Toronto held a lead through the game after defenceman Henry Thrun sent Ryan Tverberg away on a breakaway goal at 2:12.

Thrun and another NHL warhorse, Dakota Mermis, had strong games.

The kid-friendly second line — Easton Cowan, Jacob Quillan and Tverberg — were quiet 5-on-5, but Cowan got an assist on Shaw’s power-play goal.

“Our young guys are playing like veterans,” added Gruden.

The Marlies now face the Laval Rocket, the North Division leaders and affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, which had a week off with its top spot bye.

The best-of-five starts Wednesday and Friday in the Montreal suburb, with Games 3 and 4 in Toronto on Sunday and the following Tuesday.

It was Gruden’s first playoff series win with Toronto and good for his profile with a new Leafs general manager to be named as early as this week.

The successful candidate, reported frontrunners are John Chayka and Scott White, will get a longer look at goaltending depth in the organization with Dennis Hildeby entering the series Sunday with 29 saves, including all nine shots in the final period, with Rochester trying to tie it with the help of a power play.

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Defenceman William Villeneuve potted an empty-netter.

‘Two really outstanding goalies’

After Artur Akhtyamov didn’t duplicate his Game 1’s 5-0 shutout win in Game 2, Toronto turned to Hildeby. With more than 100 AHL games to his credit, including a few in the playoffs, it was a great insurance policy to use.

“We have two really outstanding goalies, but it’s more about the style we play, the right way (means) our goalies are really good,” Gruden said. “They made the saves they should and the (big) ones they needed to have. Having two is a complete luxury for us.”

Gruden picked the younger Russian to start the Rochester series based on recent success against the Amerks.

“Laval plays a little heavier so we’ll see,” Gruden said of his Game 1 starter in the next round. “I can’t go wrong either way.”

Hildeby made six straight saves after Toronto led 10-2 on the shot clock and 1-0 on the scoreboard with Tverberg out-legging pursuers to beat Devon Levi on the game’s first chance.

Toronto also brought in NHL veteran winger Reese Johnson to replace prospect Borya Valis, while swapping Chas Sharpe for Matt Benning on defence.

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