The Toronto Marlies were outplayed for most of Game 1. They trailed after the first period, and the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins controlled play as both teams tried to find their footing early on. “It definitely was a feeling-out process where there wasn't much going on,” Marlies head coach John Gruden noted after the game. 

Yet, like many games in this playoff run that the Marlies are on, they rallied and won. They scored twice in the second period and added two more goals in the third to secure a 4-2 win over a Penguins team that outshot them 36-16. 

The game-winning goal in the third period came off the stick of Michael Pezzetta. The fourth-line forecheck gave the veteran an open look, and he buried it. However, this game was decided by the star power of the Marlies, the prospects who have delivered throughout the playoffs. 

Easton Cowan is one of the few skaters in the American Hockey League with an NHL-caliber shot. It’s why he spent a large chunk of the season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. It’s also why when he had an open look in the high slot against Sergei Murashov, he managed to fire the puck past the goaltender, on track to be in the NHL in the near future. 

Murashov isn’t a goaltender who is easy to beat. He’s elite by AHL standards and might be on the Pittsburgh Penguins by the time next season starts. It’s why the Marlies had a scouting report designed around his strengths and weaknesses. “Anytime you're facing someone like that, you're just trying to get shots off quick and get screens in front,” Pezzetta added after the game. While Cowan’s goal didn’t have a screen, the prospect winger knew he had to pick his target and thread the needle to get the Marlies on the board. 

That goal changed the game, aside from just tying it at one. It gave the Marlies life and, more importantly, proved that if they want to score on Murashov and the Penguins, they have the template to do so, with quality looks and sharpshooting. 

This playoff run has showcased how William Villeneuve has become a complete defenseman. “He's grown a lot in the playoffs, and that's really good to see because, you know, he's a great kid. He's a great teammate,” Gruden noted on his number one defenseman. Villeneuve not only makes plays at the blue line, but he also adds scoring to the offense and does all the little things well. 

One of those little things is his ability to handle the puck as he moves it up the ice and avoids the opposition’s pressure. “He moves the puck well, and his decision-making has been really good. It's like a quarterback back there,” Gruden added. This comes in handy against the Penguins, who love generating pressure and forcing skaters to make mistakes. Villeneuve is unfazed by it and is the player who can handle the oncoming checking presence. 

Defensemen take time to develop and learn the position. At 23, Villeneuve has matured into a complete player as he’s learned a lot about himself in this playoff run. “You learn a lot about yourself. To play meaningful hockey like that, especially that late into the postseason, is great. You learn how to deal with yourself, control your emotions throughout those games, and I think we're just going to bring that for the rest of the playoffs,” Villeneuve mentioned after Game 1. His demeanor and overall play have turned him into someone the Maple Leafs must watch for their future. 

The Marlies needed their goaltender to be their best player, and he was. It’s been the story of the playoffs for Artur Ahktyamov, who stopped 34 of the 36 shots he faced and allowed only 15 goals in his last seven starts. 

“He's an extremely easy guy to root for; we love going to war for Arty (Artur), and he keeps us in the game. He’s the reason why we're here today,” Villeneuve noted afterwards. While the Marlies didn’t protect him with their defense, they paid him back with a few timely goals in the 4-2 win. 

Game 1 was a continuation of the great play in the net that Ahktyamov has displayed throughout the playoffs. It’s his lights-out performances that are showing why he might eventually be a key part of the Maple Leafs goaltending. 

The Marlies adjusted after the first period and looked like a different team for the rest of the game. They handled the Penguins' pressure and forecheck that turns defense into offense. “When they transition from only 100 feet, it’s a lot harder to defend because it’s a quick strike,” Gruden noted about the Penguins' checking, and it’s why they pushed the puck up the ice and dared them to go the full 200 feet.

An interesting postgame observation was how Gruden and the players interviewed all mentioned assistant coach Mark Giordano as a key part of their success. He saw something in the Penguins' defense that the Marlies could exploit. It’s moments like these when the 42-year-old, who had a long NHL career as a defenseman, is a great coach and a valuable part of the Marlies staff. 

The Marlies are happy to start the series 1-0 and with a road victory to boot. That’s not to say that this was a great game for them. They were outshot 36-16, and for the most part, the Penguins looked in control and like they would win. It’s why Game 1 was a feeling-out game, and the Marlies will adjust to it in their own right.