Kirk MacDonald called Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's play in the 4-2loss to the Toronto Marlies in Game 1 of the AHL's Eastern Conference final here at Mohegan Arena ... "fine."
And he called it that several times. Scoring two goals was "fine." Outshooting the Marlies 36-16 and the puck possession that suggests is "fine," as long as one doesn't look too deeply into the quality of those chances.
But if the Penguins are to even the series on Friday in Game 2, they're going to need to bring a whole lot more than "fine."
"We created some shots," he said. "The shot clock looked good, but we didn't do enough making it hard on their goalie. We didn't make it hard enough on their D when we possess the puck. ... I just didn't think we had the killer instinct tonight."
• Alex Alexeyev scored first in the opening frame, set up by Mikhail Ilyin and Harrison Brunicke. It was Alexeyev's first career playoff goal.
• After the Marlies scored twice in the second period, including once on the power play, Rutger McGroarty tied the game 6:01 into the third. Tristan Broz and Alexeyev assisted.
• The Marlies' winner came with 1:36 in regulation. They added an empty-net goal.
• Sergei Murashov wasn’t at his best in this one, stopping 12 of 15 shots. He allowed two goals on 10 shots through the first two periods, and both came from a distance, with the latter coming while the Marlies were on a power play. Toronto’s game-winner in the third was another one from a distance.
• Murashov did have a big save on a short-handed partial breakaway from former Penguin Marc Johnstone midway through the second when the game was 1-1.
• That shorthanded breakaway aside, Wilkes-Barre was bad on the power play. They went 0-for-3 on the power play, and outshot 2-0 in those six minutes. Asked what the Marlies' penalty-kill was doing to shut them down, MacDonald said, "It was self-inflicted."
• Chaos erupted with 28 seconds left, starting with Broz and Johnstone going after each other in a corner and turning into a little brawl. When officials broke it up and separated everyone, Henry Thrun took a second run at Avery Hayes and jumped on him (and the ref escorting Hayes away). Broz got a five-minute major for cross-checking, a game misconduct for cross-checking and a 10-minute misconduct for continuing the altercation. Hayes got an unspecified 10-minute misconduct and a two-minute minor for unsportsmanlike conduct. On the Marlies, Johnstone got a two-minute minor for unsportsmanlike conduct and a 10-minute misconduct for continuing an altercation. Marshall Rifai got two for roughing and an unspecified 10-minute misconduct.
• Owen Pickering missed a second game with a right foot injury. He's week-to-week.
THE ASYLUM
'Fine' not enough in Game 1 loss
Kirk MacDonald called Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's play in the 4-2 loss to the Toronto Marlies in Game 1 of the AHL's Eastern Conference final here at Mohegan Arena ... "fine."
And he called it that several times. Scoring two goals was "fine." Outshooting the Marlies 36-16 and the puck possession that suggests is "fine," as long as one doesn't look too deeply into the quality of those chances.
But if the Penguins are to even the series on Friday in Game 2, they're going to need to bring a whole lot more than "fine."
"We created some shots," he said. "The shot clock looked good, but we didn't do enough making it hard on their goalie. We didn't make it hard enough on their D when we possess the puck. ... I just didn't think we had the killer instinct tonight."
• Alex Alexeyev scored first in the opening frame, set up by Mikhail Ilyin and Harrison Brunicke. It was Alexeyev's first career playoff goal.
• After the Marlies scored twice in the second period, including once on the power play, Rutger McGroarty tied the game 6:01 into the third. Tristan Broz and Alexeyev assisted.
• The Marlies' winner came with 1:36 in regulation. They added an empty-net goal.
• Sergei Murashov wasn’t at his best in this one, stopping 12 of 15 shots. He allowed two goals on 10 shots through the first two periods, and both came from a distance, with the latter coming while the Marlies were on a power play. Toronto’s game-winner in the third was another one from a distance.
• Murashov did have a big save on a short-handed partial breakaway from former Penguin Marc Johnstone midway through the second when the game was 1-1.
• That shorthanded breakaway aside, Wilkes-Barre was bad on the power play. They went 0-for-3 on the power play, and outshot 2-0 in those six minutes. Asked what the Marlies' penalty-kill was doing to shut them down, MacDonald said, "It was self-inflicted."
• Chaos erupted with 28 seconds left, starting with Broz and Johnstone going after each other in a corner and turning into a little brawl. When officials broke it up and separated everyone, Henry Thrun took a second run at Avery Hayes and jumped on him (and the ref escorting Hayes away). Broz got a five-minute major for cross-checking, a game misconduct for cross-checking and a 10-minute misconduct for continuing the altercation. Hayes got an unspecified 10-minute misconduct and a two-minute minor for unsportsmanlike conduct. On the Marlies, Johnstone got a two-minute minor for unsportsmanlike conduct and a 10-minute misconduct for continuing an altercation. Marshall Rifai got two for roughing and an unspecified 10-minute misconduct.
• Owen Pickering missed a second game with a right foot injury. He's week-to-week.
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