04-23-2019, 03:06 AM
TORONTO -- Toronto Marlies coach Steve Spott felt his team had more than enough opportunity to pick up two points Saturday afternoon at Ricoh Coliseum. Torontos power play was held scoreless on three opportunities, including once in overtime, and the Marlies out-shot the Iowa Wild 39-27, but fell 2-1 in a shootout to the visitors. Carson MacMillan and Zack Phillips scored in the shootout to help Iowa snap a five-game skid. It was the Wilds fourth win in 11 games. "I think we had more than enough opportunity to put the game away," said Spott. "Very good players with empty nets and were hitting posts, were not getting pucks up and over (Wild starter, Johan) Gustafsson. "We had some glorious chances, that we didnt put in the back of the net. When you let a team like that -- thats desperate -- hang around, thats what the result is going to be." Toronto dropped to 1-1-0 on their current three-game, three-night stretch and had their three-game win streak snapped. MacMillan faked a slapshot and then beat Marlies starter Garret Sparks in the first round of the shootout. Then Phillips faked a shot, got Sparks moving before beating him glove-side in the third round. Jamie MacQueen scored in regulation for Iowa (26-30-10), while Gustafsson made 38 saves for his 12th win of the season. Peter Holland had the lone goal for Toronto (40-20-6). Sparks made 25 saves in his first loss since Jan. 25. The Marlies couldve had a fourth power-play opportunity, in the third period. Wild forward Brett Bulmer was assessed a roughing minor, but Brandon Kozun retaliated with a careless cross-check and negated the man advantage chance. When asked of Kozuns penalty, Spott responded, "I think he wont play tomorrow." With the win, the Wild earn a split in the season series. The Marlies won the only other meeting between the two teams 4-3 on Jan. 15 in Des Moines, Iowa. Holland tied it 1-1, with his ninth of the season, at 1:12 of the third period by picking up the rebound off of a Kenny Ryan shot and beating Gustafsson stick-side. "Kenny made a nice play, just coming down the right side and threw it off the pad," said Holland of the play. "I was lucky enough to kind of pick up the rebound, pull it across the net and tuck it in the far side." Toronto dropped to 5-12-4 when trailing after 40 minutes this season. MacQueen opened the scoring at 7:37 beating Sparks with a shot from the bottom of the face-off circle for his second of the season. Prior to MacQueens goal, Kris Foucault had a great scoring chance when his shot beat Sparks, but hit the post at 6:00 of the second. Holland had an excellent chance to open the scoring at 16:00 of the first period, but put his shot off the side of the net with Gustafsson out of position. "We missed a couple point-blank opportunities with open nets, putting it out the far side," said Holland agreeing with Spotts assessment. "Either that or hitting the post, a couple bounces go our way, its a different story." Toronto concludes their three-game, three night stretch, when they host the Abbotsford Heat on Sunday. The Marlies need three points to clinch a playoff spot as well as their third consecutive North Division title. Its something the Maple Leafs minor leaguers are focused on. "As we go forward here our job is to win the division and try to catch Grand Rapids for second in the conference and thats still our goal," said Spott. Added Holland: "Thats obviously our main objective here is to clinch as fast as we can. We dont want to take any of the teams we play lightly, but just work on things going into the playoffs. Give guys who dont get a lot of minutes a chance to play more. Its definitely something were focusing on." Notes: Rookie defenceman Eric Knodel made his professional debut replacing Korbinian Holzer for the Marlies. The Maple Leafs recalled forward Jerry DAmigo from the Marlies on Saturday. Marlies goaltender Drew MacIntyre was a healthy scratch as Christopher Gibson backed up Sparks. Spott said Holzer, MacIntyre and captain Trevor Smith were all given the day off to rest bumps and bruises. Justin Bethel Jersey . Felton pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm. He admitted he knowingly had a large-capacity ammunition magazine and a semi-automatic pistol without a license. Ito Smith Jersey .com) - Matt Beleskey has helped give the Anaheim Ducks some scoring depth and hell look to stay hot on Wednesday night when his club hosts the struggling Philadelphia Flyers. http://www.falconsauthenticofficialonlin...ersey.html. Grilli hasnt pitched since straining his left oblique in late April. Manager Clint Hurdle says the right-hander will make a couple of appearances in middle relief before the team determines whether to return Grilli to the back end of the bullpen. Brandon Fusco Falcons Jersey . - Whether its because of her improved play or the reason for it, Michelle Wie appears as comfortable on and off the golf course as at any time in her career. Deadrin Senat Jersey . Griffin scored 13 of his 31 points in the final 7:05 and Dudley got 11 of his 20 points in the third quarter, leading the defending Pacific Division champions to a 112-85 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night. "Dud is a shooter.DOHA, Qatar -- Seventh-seeded Simona Halep of Romania will chase her seventh career title when she plays sixth-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany, pursuing her fifth trophy, in the Qatar Open final on Sunday. The 10th-ranked Halep trailed 5-2 in the first set but won seven straight games before defeating second-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 7-5, 6-2 on Saturday. Kerbers 6-1, 7-6 (6) win over fifth-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia kept up her record of not losing a set this week. Halep, who won all six of her career titles last year, won seven straight games to take a 7-5, 2-0 lead in the semifinals. "I played six finals last year and I am more confident with myself now," Halep said. "I just keep focused to play like its (the) first round, and I think thats the secret -- to play without pressure, just to keep focused and to be happy on court." Once Halep calmed her nerves she showed off the diversity in her game with power shots, touch shots, drop shots and the patience needed to reach her first final of the year. "At 5-2, I said that I have nothing to lose anymore and to changge the tactic," Halep said.dddddddddddd The fourth-ranked Radwanska, who was making her third consecutive appearance in Doha, has yet to advance to the finals at this tournament. "She was making unbelievable shots from nowhere," Radwanska said. "I didnt know what to do to end the point, because she was everywhere." Kerber has her second final of the year. She lost in the Sydney final to Tsvetana Pironkova last month. Jankovic broke Kerbers serve in the fifth game to win her only game of the first set but struggled with her own first serve. The second set was more evenly contested with both players losing serve on two occasions. "I was just happy I won the match in two sets," Kerber said. "Jelena was playing unbelievably well in the second set." Kerber served for the match at 5-4 but Jankovic broke serve to even the score at 5-5. Kerber had two match points in the tiebreaker. She won with a net cord shot which Jankovic could only watch. "I think I was just lucky and happy that the ball goes over the net on the other side," Kerber said. ' ' '