One more win and the Toronto Marlies move onto the next round of the Calder Cup playoffs. The Marlies defeated the Laval Rocket 6-2 [https://x.com/nickbarden/status/2051071466943168604?s=20] on Sunday evening in a packed (7,309 guests) Coca-Cola Coliseum, putting a stranglehold on their North Division semifinal series. Toronto leads Laval 2-1 in the best-of-five series and could close it out on Tuesday at home. Logan Shaw got the Marlies started [https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2051032071942848564?s=20] in the first period with a power play goal 11 seconds into the game. Yup, you heard that right. After a Laval double-minor for high-sticking five seconds into the game, Shaw received the puck in the slot and then beat Kaapo Kahkonen for his fourth goal of the playoffs, tying him with Vinni Lettieri for the team lead. Easton Cowan [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-easton-cowan-scores-highlight-reel-goal-as-marlies-tie-series-against-rocket] would get involved in the scoring just over five minutes later, finding the back of the net against Kahkonen from the left side after a quick burst up the ice with the puck. The goal was the 20-year-old's second of the playoffs, giving him six points in as many postseason games. Four of his six points have come in the last two games. Henry Thrun added to the Marlies' total [https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2051036654400319956?s=20] nearly three minutes later, as the puck went off his skate and into the net after a scramble in Laval's crease. Toronto's first three goals came on just six shots. The Marlies didn't let up from there. With less than five minutes left in the opening period, Alex Nylander batted the puck out of mid-air and into the net for his first of the postseason, putting Toronto up 4-0. Kahkonen's afternoon was finished after allowing four goals on 12 shots in the opening frame. Ryan Tverberg scored in the second period [https://theahl.com/stats/game-center/1029022] for Toronto, his second of the playoffs. Cedric Pare added another for Toronto in the third. Alex Belzile ended Artur Akhtyamov's shutout bid in the second period, and Owen Beck scored another for Laval in the final frame. Akhtyamov's night ended with two goals against on 28 shots from the Rocket for his second straight win in the series. Game 4 goes down at the Coliseum in Toronto on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. ET.
