MAPLE LEAF RAG

TORONTO – Despite a pair of goals from Andy Miele, the Grand Rapids Griffins could not stop the AHL’s top team, falling to the Toronto Marlies 6-3 on Saturday at Ricoh Coliseum.

Tied 2-2 with 7:28 remaining in the second period, the Marlies lit the lamp twice in nine seconds en route to their 50th win of the campaign. Grand Rapids wraps up a three-in-three weekend on Sunday against the Rochester Americans with puck drop from Blue Cross Arena set for 5:05 p.m.

Zach Hyman started the scoring for Toronto (50-15-5-0) 9:27 into the opening period. Ben Smith’s wrist shot from the left circle forced a right pad save from Jared Coreau, but the rebound bounced off Hyman’s leg and the left post before Hyman tapped the puck into an open net.

Dan Cleary got the Griffins (42-25-1-1) on the scoresheet with 5:53 to go in the first. After Justin Holl turned the puck over in his own zone, Tomas Nosek’s chip from the right circle found Cleary alone in front for a shot inside the left post.

Connor Brown restored the Marlies’ lead on the power play at the 2:58 mark of the middle frame. Following a Mark Zengerle match penalty for spearing, Josh Leivo’s pass from the right corner reached Hyman in front, in turn setting up Brown at the bottom of the right circle for a shot low to the blocker side.

Miele responded for Grand Rapids 3:22 later. Mitch Callahan’s pass from the right corner reached Eric Tangradi at the side of the net, who redirected the puck to Miele at the right circle. Miele then walked into the slot and lifted a shot high to Antoine Bibeau’s blocker side.

Shane Conacher gave Toronto a 3-2 edge with 7:28 left in the second. On a give-and-go, Smith’s pass from the left circle found Conacher all alone in front for a backhanded shot over a sprawling Coreau.

Tony Cameranesi added to the Marlies’ lead nine seconds later. Taylor Doherty’s clearance off the boards reached Cameranesi for a shot from the edge of the right circle high to the glove side.

Miele scored his second of the night 32 seconds into the third to cut the deficit to one. After Tangradi stole the puck from Connor Carrick behind the Toronto goal, he sent a backhanded pass from the left corner to Miele at the left circle for a one-timer that beat Bibeau to the glove side for his 18th of the season.

Ben Smith restored Toronto’s two-goal advantage on the power play with 13:37 remaining. After Smith’s initial backhanded effort from in close hit the left post, Colin Smith attempted to bank the puck off Coreau before the 2013 Stanley Cup champion arrived from behind the net to tap in the rebound at the left post. Sam Carrick made it a three-goal cushion when Brandon Leipsic’s pass from the right circle reached Carrick in the slot for a one-timer with 6:34 to play.

Toronto finished 2-for-4 on the power play, while the Griffins were unable to convert on four opportunities. Bibeau stopped 28 of 31 shots for the win, while Coreau turned aside 26 shots in defeat.

Three Stars: 1. TOR Hyman (goal, two assists); 2. TOR Conacher (goal, assist); 3. TOR Cameranesi (goal)

Notes: The Griffins are 38-4-1-0 when scoring three or more goals this season…Saturday marked the first time Grand Rapids and the Detroit Red Wings played in Toronto on the same day.

TORONTO – Despite a pair of goals from Andy Miele, the Grand Rapids Griffins could not stop the AHL’s top team, falling to the Toronto Marlies 6-3 on Saturday at Ricoh Coliseum.

Tied 2-2 with 7:28 remaining in the second period, the Marlies lit the lamp twice in nine seconds en route to their 50th win of the campaign. Grand Rapids wraps up a three-in-three weekend on Sunday against the Rochester Americans with puck drop from Blue Cross Arena set for 5:05 p.m.

Zach Hyman started the scoring for Toronto (50-15-5-0) 9:27 into the opening period. Ben Smith’s wrist shot from the left circle forced a right pad save from Jared Coreau, but the rebound bounced off Hyman’s leg and the left post before Hyman tapped the puck into an open net.

Dan Cleary got the Griffins (42-25-1-1) on the scoresheet with 5:53 to go in the first. After Justin Holl turned the puck over in his own zone, Tomas Nosek’s chip from the right circle found Cleary alone in front for a shot inside the left post.

Connor Brown restored the Marlies’ lead on the power play at the 2:58 mark of the middle frame. Following a Mark Zengerle match penalty for spearing, Josh Leivo’s pass from the right corner reached Hyman in front, in turn setting up Brown at the bottom of the right circle for a shot low to the blocker side.

Miele responded for Grand Rapids 3:22 later. Mitch Callahan’s pass from the right corner reached Eric Tangradi at the side of the net, who redirected the puck to Miele at the right circle. Miele then walked into the slot and lifted a shot high to Antoine Bibeau’s blocker side.

Shane Conacher gave Toronto a 3-2 edge with 7:28 left in the second. On a give-and-go, Smith’s pass from the left circle found Conacher all alone in front for a backhanded shot over a sprawling Coreau.

Tony Cameranesi added to the Marlies’ lead nine seconds later. Taylor Doherty’s clearance off the boards reached Cameranesi for a shot from the edge of the right circle high to the glove side.

Miele scored his second of the night 32 seconds into the third to cut the deficit to one. After Tangradi stole the puck from Connor Carrick behind the Toronto goal, he sent a backhanded pass from the left corner to Miele at the left circle for a one-timer that beat Bibeau to the glove side for his 18th of the season.

Ben Smith restored Toronto’s two-goal advantage on the power play with 13:37 remaining. After Smith’s initial backhanded effort from in close hit the left post, Colin Smith attempted to bank the puck off Coreau before the 2013 Stanley Cup champion arrived from behind the net to tap in the rebound at the left post. Sam Carrick made it a three-goal cushion when Brandon Leipsic’s pass from the right circle reached Carrick in the slot for a one-timer with 6:34 to play.

Toronto finished 2-for-4 on the power play, while the Griffins were unable to convert on four opportunities. Bibeau stopped 28 of 31 shots for the win, while Coreau turned aside 26 shots in defeat.

Three Stars: 1. TOR Hyman (goal, two assists); 2. TOR Conacher (goal, assist); 3. TOR Cameranesi (goal)

Notes: The Griffins are 38-4-1-0 when scoring three or more goals this season…Saturday marked the first time Grand Rapids and the Detroit Red Wings played in Toronto on the same day.