Carrick steps up as Marlies even series
That Daniel Winnik trade really does seem to be working out quite nicely for the Toronto Marlies.
Defenceman Connor Carrick had two assists in Friday night’s 5-3 win over the Albany Devils.
The Calder Cup second-round series is now tied at a game apiece.
Carrick, along with Brooks Laich and Washington’s second-round pick in June, became property of the Maple Leafs in a trade in February that saw Winnik and a fifth-round pick head to the Capitals.
Carrick showed some flair (two goals, two assists) in a16-game tryout with the Maple Leafs, and he now has fit right in as one of the new guys with the Marlies, leading the AHL playoffs with 10 points.
“These guys put together a heck of a regular season,” said Carrick. “My goal was to come in and try to help whereever I could, read the players, see what I could bring. Not what the team was lacking, but add what it could use more of.”
And offence from defence — so important in tight-checking playoff hockey — is one aspect where Carrick thrives. He’s not alone in that on a deep Marlies squad. Veteran blueliner T.J. Brennan scored twice, including the winner, and is tied with Carrick for second in playoff goal scoring with four.
“They’ve done what we’ve come to expect from them, guys that can contribute from the back end,” said Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe. “They move well along the blue line. They both have had success.
“Those are two good pieces for us.”
Zach Hyman also had two goals, and Ben Smith had the other goal for the Marlies, who could point to a few turning points in a game with a number of lead changes that led to a nailbiting finish for the packed house at the Ricoh Coliseum.
One was killing a two-man advantage for 1:26 of the second while trailing 2-1. The other was standing up to the pure physicality of the Devils in a game that left welts all over Carrick’s face.
“Things happen in the playoffs,” said Carrick. “It’s a physical game. You got two teams playing hard, and stuff happens. It’s what you play for all year. You grind through the dog days of January to play real meaningful games. That’s why you grind it out all year long, to play a team like this, a series like this. It’s good stuff.”
The Marlies got a morale boost, of sorts, with the return of William Nylander and Nikita Soshnikov. The lat- ter was a physical presence; Nylander was held off the score sheet.
“We expected a little bit more, from (Nylander) in particular,” said Keefe. “I thought he got pushed around a little bit, and I got a sense he’s a game behind in terms of knowing what this series is like.
“They’re obviously going to be hard on him. He’s got to find his way through that, recognizing it’s an older team with experience, to be able to have an impact on the game offensively.” NOTES: The series heads to Albany for the next three games: Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. If Games 6 and 7 are needed they will be Saturday, May 14 and Monday, May 16 . . .Game1marked the first time since Nov. 29 (vs. St. John’s) that the Marlies were held to one goal in a home game . . . Toronto has lost back-toback home games only twice this season (Oct. 18-28, Nov. 28-29).