Toronto Marlies/Maple Leafs defenceman William Villeneuve (76) set a record for most assists in a Marlies' post-season campaign with 17 in Toronto's Game Two win. His 19 points in these playoffs are also now the most by a Toronto defenceman in franchise history. (Source: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)The Toronto Marlies beat the Chicago Wolves 5-4 in overtime to win Game Two of the 2026 Calder Cup Finals.
The Wolves struck first with the first shot of the game when defenceman Charles Alexis Legault tipped in a shot from captain Josiah Slavin to put Chicago up 1-0 in just under two minutes of regulation. Toronto were the more dominant team in the next 9:23 minutes of period as they went on a 9-2 run in shots. While the Marlies didn't score in their first power play in that time frame, Toronto forward Benoit-Olivier Groux leveled the scores by squeezing the puck between Chicago goalie Cayden Primeau and the left post. But when the Wolves got their first attempt at the man-advantage just over three minutes later, forward Noah Philp planted the go-ahead goal to restore Chicago one-goal lead at 2-1. While Toronto outshot the Wolves 12-8, only four of Chicago's shots came in the 5v5 scenario and three came in the power play with each situation producing a goal.
Toronto and Chicago would go empty in their second and third power plays that intersected for 1:03 minutes and trickled from the first into the second period. But then at the 4:12 mark of the middle frame, Marlies forward Alex Nylander would get hooked by Wolves defenceman Domenick Fensoreduring a breakaway, awarding a penalty shot to the Leafs AHL affiliates. Nylander successful cashed in to level the scores 2-2 by sending the puck around Primeau's right side in a flash after having the former Leaf to keep guessing for what seemed like an eternity. After Toronto's penalty kill unit gave up only one unsuccessful shot in the ensuing third and fourth Chicago power plays, Marlies captain Logan Shaw scored a backhander off a feed from defenceman William Villeneuve while trying to shake off Fensore at the 15:45 mark to give Toronto the 3-2 lead at the second intermission.
In the third period, Chicago started the the frame on a 6-2 shooting run with final shot being an equalizer by Wolves defenceman Juuso Valimaki. The Marlies responded by putting up five consecutive shots where in the fourth one, Groux scored his second goal by knocking a rebounded shot into the Wolves net after Primeau was busy collecting himself after making a save off a Villeneuve shot. Just when it seemed Toronto would escape the Windy City with a regulation win, Chicago would pull Primeau and put up five consecutive shots to end the third period with the last one finding the back of the net courtesy of Valimaki at the 19:43 mark to tie the game 4-4 and set up overtime.
In the extra frame, it took just 3:46 minutes for captain Shaw to dig in and find his second goal and the game-winner to give Game Two to Toronto.
With his three assists of the game, Villeneuve set a Marlies single post-season assists record of 17 after surpassing forward Andreas Johnsson's 14 from the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs.
With 19 points in 21 games in these playoffs, the 23-year-old also became the highest scoring defenceman in a single Marlies post-season, surpassing Connor Carrick's 18 points from the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Toronto Marlies goalie and AHL All-Star Artur Akhtyamov made 28 saves off 32 shots for a save percentage of 0.875.
Chicago Wolves goalie Cayden Primeau made 27 saves off 32 shots for a save percentage of 0.844.