News
Earl Leads Marlies to Victory
April 10, 2007
(TORONTO) - Robbie Earl not only scored two goals and an assist, he also notched the only shootout goal to give the Toronto Marlies a 4-3 victory over the Rochester Americans in front of 2,950 fans at Ricoh Coliseum Tuesday night. The Marlies end the season series with Rochester with a 5-4-1-0 record.
Earl gave the Marlies an early lead just 78 seconds into the game. Rochester starting netminder Craig Anderson stopped the initial shot taken by Alex Foster, but Earl grabbed the rebound to put the puck into the net.
Michael Ryan increased his team-leading goals scored to twenty-five when he put Rochester on the board at 15:28 of the first period. Marek Zagrapan and Jeremy Swanson assisted on Ryan's goal.
Later in the period Earl skated down the ice along the boards and cut across the ice in front of Anderson. Earl's shot slid past Anderson at 17:16. Karel Pilar and Jay Harrison earned helpers on the play. The power-play goal gave the Marlies a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermisison.
The Americans dominated the second frame, outshooting the Marlies and scoring two goals to take their first lead of the game. Ryan evened the score just over eight minutes into the middle frame when he notched his second goal of the night. With traffic in front of the net, Pogge was unable to stop Ryan's shot at 8:12. Kamil Kreps scored the Amerks' second goal of the period when he tipped in an Anthony Stwewart pass at 15:02.
Pilar notched his second point of the game and tied the score at three goals apiece only one minute into the final stanza. With Mike Funk in the penalty box on a holding call leftover from the second period, Pilar took a shot from the top of the left face-off circle. Pilar's shot hit the underside of the crossbar, but the referee ruled it a goal. Earl and Staffan Kronwall tallied helpers on the play, which ultimately sent the game into overtime.
Neither team was able to win the game during the five-minute sudden death overtime period. Toronto starting goaltender Justin Pogge made 5 saves in the overtime, while Anderson stopped 3 shots.
Toronto makes its final road trip, visiting the Manitoba Moose -- AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks -- on Friday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 14 at 3 p.m. The Marlies then close out the regular season at Ricoh Coliseum, hosting the Grand Rapids Griffins -- AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings -- on Sunday, April 15 at 4 p.m.
SCORING
First Period
1. TOR R. Earl (10) (Foster) 1:18
2. ROC M. Ryan (25) (Zagrapan, Swanson) 15:28
3. TOR R. Earl (11) (Pilar, Harrison) 17:16 PP
Second Period
4. ROC M. Ryan (26) (Kreps, Globke) 8:12
5. ROC K. Kreps (14) (Stewart, Booth) 15:02 PP
Third Period
6. TOR K. Pilar (2) (Earl, Kronwall) 1:00 PP
Overtime
No scoring
Shootout Winner
TOR R. Earl
THREE STARS
1. TOR Earl #10
2. ROC Ryan #17
3. TOR Pilar #29
ICE CHIPS: The Marlies had not scored a goal in over 125 minutes of regulation hockey, since Jay Harrison's tally at 16:10 of the third period on April 4 at Rochester... The last time Robbie Earl earned three points in one game was against Syracuse on Nov. 23, when he also scored two goals and one assist... Both of Karel Pilar's goals this season have come with the man-advantage... The Marlies have outshot their opponents for the fifth consecutive game... Both of Earl's shootout goals have been game-winning goals.
