The future of the Toronto Maple Leafs is bright, folks. And it will be on full display this weekend.
After waiting since Friday, the Toronto Marlies now finally know who their Calder Cup Final opponent will be. Last night, the Texas Stars eliminated the Rockford Ice Hogs in a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory to advance to the franchise’s third finals appearance since 2009-10.
This, my friends, is going to be a fun one.
Scoring Depth
Due to the travel constraints of the AHL, The Marlies and Stars never faced each other in the regular season. And while that may not be all that conducive to a fierce rivalry, there are benefits nonetheless. This level of immediate unfamiliarity will only increase the emphasis on game one, where both teams will feel each other out.
On paper, they appear evenly matched.
The Stars boast a lineup of extremely balanced offensive production. 9 different Stars players finished the regular season with point totals of 30 or more. Interestingly enough, such a mark is actually higher than the one held by the offensively unstoppable Marlies.
For all the talk of their incomparable depth, the Marlies house only 6 point getters of 30+. Although, that total would likely be higher if they possessed scorers like Pierre Engvall and Carl Grundstrom for more than two weeks.
Regardless, in a series with such offensive potential, the margin of error will come down to the goaltending.
Goaltending
Using the regular season as a sample size, the Marlies have Texas soundly beat.
As has been common knowledge for some time, Garret Sparks was undoubtedly the AHL’s best goaltender from October-April. Posting a staggering .936 save percentage, his otherworldly numbers earned him the Baz Bastien award, otherwise known as the AHL’s Vezina.
And, were Sparks to falter, the Marlies can simply turn to their 1A in Calvin Pickard.
Like the Marlies, the Stars opted to ride a goaltending tandem during the regular season. Rookie Landon Bow started 46 games to veteran Mike McKenna’s 32, with both netminders finishing with underwhelming results.
Bow’s freshman campaign was punctuated by a disheartening .903 save percentage, a mark that was barely beaten by McKenna’s .909.
Fast forward to the playoffs, and it’s a whole new ballgame.
McKenna has since firmly snatched the starter’s reigns from the clutches of his rookie counterpart. He’s started all 15 of the Stars games, holding a 10-4 record. As is the case in every postseason, the otherwise average McKenna has made like the weather and caught fire, riding an eye-popping .940 sv% into Saturday’s game one.
On the surface, Sparks’ postseason numbers pale in comparison. Through 12 games, he holds a .926. Certainly, nothing to shake a stick at. But, undoubtedly lower than his red-hot opponent.
Although, dig a tad deeper and the numbers begin telling a different story.
The Marlies’ most recent loss came in game four of their first-round series versus the Utica Comets. In the 5-2 defeat, Sparks was pumped to the tune of 4 goals against on just 20 shots. Since then, he’s been nothing short of unstoppable.
In the 9 games which followed, Sparks is undefeated, with a 9-0 record and .950 sv% to match.
In the postseason, momentum is perhaps the most influential factor of all. And it just so happens that both goaltenders enter the final round hotter than ever.
#Narratives
It wouldn’t be a Cup Final without the desperate grasping for narratives!
A potentially potent one could have centred around Stars defenceman Michael Paliotta. Paliotta, a 24-year-old right-handed defenceman, was signed by the Marlies this past summer. Pencilled in as an addition to their formidable D corps, Paliotta was almost immediately supplanted by the meteoric rise of rookie Timothy Liljegren.
Playing just 8 games from October-January, he became the Marlies’ equivalent of Josh Leivo. Someone with the talent to contribute who became an unfortunate casualty to unwavering depth.
The Marlies mercifully dealt Paliotta to the Stars on January 11th.
At the time, Sheldon Keefe cited the move as giving his oft-scratched D man a shot at consistent playing time elsewhere. Paliotta received just that in Texas, albeit briefly. Suiting up for 17 games over the season’s final 3 months, he’s since been a healthy scratch for the entirety of the playoffs.
Alas, a tantalizing tale of revenge is wasted.
The other storyline at play here focuses upon Marlies veteran centre Chris Mueller.
Mueller who tasted Calder Cup glory in 2013 as a member of the Stars, has 10 points in 13 games this postseason. He’s an undeniably crucial cog in the Marlies offence, and his Texas roots lend a level of intrigue to an already promising series.
Next: How Kyle Dubas Pushed the Marlies to Greatness
Regardless, the Calder Cup Final will be a clash for the ages.
Games 1 and 2 take place this Saturday and Sunday at Ricoh Coliseum. The puck drops at 4 pm.