The Marlies swept the Manitoba Moose on the road in Winnipeg for a brilliant second weekend of their new season.

In game one on Friday, the Moose put up a good fight, but veteran Tyler Gaudet and his line with Matt Read and Egor Korshkov scored twice, giving the Marlies a 3-2 victory.

In game two, it was the Pierre Engvall show. His line with Pontus Aberg and Nicholas Baptiste stormed the Moose’s defense, creating an incredible 10 scoring chances leading to three goals at even strength. Korshkov threw in a shorthanded goal of his own to complete the 4-0 win.

In net, Kasimir Kaskisuo struggled at times, but stopped 20 of 22 shots which was good enough to give the Marlies a win on Friday night.

The story on Saturday afternoon was 21-year-old rookie Joseph Woll making his professional hockey debut; his first start, win, and shutout all in a 23-save outing. I was really impressed with the youngster. He had to make some tough stops in the first and third periods, and he was more than up to the task. By my math, he stopped all 11 scoring chances (shots from the slot) he faced. There is a bit of work to do in his rebound control and positioning, but all signs point in the right direction.

Game 1

Marlies Lines

At forward, Kalle Kossila joined the Marlies on their road trip but was left out of the lineup. Garrett Wilson, who also missed training camp and the first game did come in. On defense, Jesper Lindgren stepped in for Teemu Kivihalme between the first and second games. Ryan Johnston is over with the Newfoundland Growlers, so the Marlies rolled with seven defensemen over the weekend trip.

Forwards

Darren Archibald - Adam Brooks - Jeremy Bracco
Egor Korshkov - Tyler Gaudet - Matt Read
Garrett Wilson - Pierre Engvall - Pontus Aberg
Tanner MacMaster - Hudson Elynuik - Nicholas Baptiste

Defense

Kevin Gravel - Timothy Liljegren
Ben Harpur - Jordan Schmaltz
Kristians Rubins - Jesper Lindgren

Goalies

Kasimir Kaskisuo
Joseph Woll

Special Teams

Power Play 1:
Liljegren
Bracco - Brooks - Aberg
Korshkov -

Power Play 2:
Schmaltz
Engvall - Read - MacMaster
Archibald

Penalty Kills:
PK1: Elynuik - Brooks - Gravel - Liljegren
PK2: Wilson - Engvall - Harpur - Schmaltz
PK3: Korshkov - Gaudet - Gravel - Liljegren

First Period

1-0

Marlies got an early power play and it helped them gain some momentum. Gaudet threw the puck on from the top of the faceoff circle while Korshkov was driving the net with speed. He was able to get his stick on the puck and push it up and over Mikhail Berdin.

1-1

The Moose tied the game up when right winger Andrei Chibisov got the puck at the point, hesitated while looking for a pass, but then decided to shoot it from distance and somehow beat Kaskisuo with a long shot without traffic in front. Kaskisuo definitely wanted it back, he should’ve had the shot with his blocker.

2-1

This goal from Engvall was a beautiful snipe from the left faceoff dot off the rush. He was able to get away when Aberg sent him a cross-ice pass in the neutral zone while falling. From there, it was all talent. Engvall’s shot is so nice. With his tall, giraffe-like frame, he can use his whole body to get some serious power on his shots from distance. We saw goals like this a lot in Europe before he made the jump to North America, but rarely since. Hopefully this is him opening the floodgates. He finally has the linemates to do so.

After One

With the AHL’s new shot maps, I’ve decided to manually determine scoring chances this season. I’m excited to track these over the course of the season and share some insights from the numbers. Hopefully someone smarter than me comes up with some code and is able to do what I’m doing computationally, but, until then, we have my quick and dirty way.

Second Period

2-2

Seth Griffith to the box with a slash, Logan Shaw strips Bracco of the puck as he tries to dangle at the centre line, Shaw comes in on Kaskisuo and dekes him out to score. It was an awful giveaway by Bracco who was both slower and softer on the puck than Shaw, who burst by him with the puck and scored. Frustrating.

Wilson and Jimmy Oligny fight. Oligny nearly clocked Wilson. Wilson almost landed a shot that would’ve dropped Oligny. Personally glad neither thing happened.

Brooks and Skyler McKenzie got into it after the Moose tried to dig at the puck under Kaskisuo after the whistle had gone. Both laid punches in an informal “fight” that was officially called roughing for both sides.

After Two

The Moose had a better period in the second, despite the Marlies having two power plays to Manitoba’s one. I really liked the Gaudet and Engvall lines on offense. Schmaltz was also showing some offensive flair. The opposite can be said for Bracco. When he’s off, he’s baaad.

Third Period

3-2

With Kaskisuo on the bench because of a delayed penalty, the Marlies were in the offensive zone and hunting for a goal. Bracco teed up Schmaltz for a shot from the point. Schmaltz was consistently very good at getting his shots low, hard, and on net and in this scenario it worked perfectly as Gaudet tipped it from the slot around Berdin and in.

The majority of the period saw the Marlies slowly create less offense and focus more on preventing the Moose from getting any shots of their own. McKenzie had a good chance later in the period as his rebound shot trickled past the post, just barely going wide. I really like Engvall as a penalty killer. He gets in the face of the defender and uses his strong legs and reach to stay in the play and in position.

We all know about Bracco’s offense, the positives there in passing and on the power play are undeniable. This year I really want to see if he can round out his game. From what I’ve seen in the first two games has all been the same and it’s really disappointing. Like Marner, when Bracco is off his game, he’s invisible. Except one of the many differences between Marner and Bracco is that when Marner isn’t on his game, he can still be a 50% player. Bracco was actively detrimental in this game, giving the puck away on the 2-2 goal the biggest example.

As the Marlies closed up into a shell, they decided to implement the Leicester City tactic of defending and sending one up for a counterattack. Liljegren had one of those chances off the right wing, but he shot the puck just a little too high. Aberg had another one up the right wing with Engvall to his left, but he deferred and took a slapper right to the chest of Berdin.

In the final minute Schmaltz tossed the puck up and over the glass, sending the Marlies to the penalty kill with 43 seconds left in the game. Gaudet, Read, Gravel, and Liljegren finished it off.

Good win.

Game 2

Marlies Lines

Between games one and two, Rich Clune stepped in for Garrett Wilson (Baptiste moving up a line to take his spot), and Kivihalme swapping for Rubins on defense. Lindgren seems to have the 3RD spot taken for the time being.

Forwards

Darren Archibald - Adam Brooks - Jeremy Bracco
Egor Korshkov - Tyler Gaudet - Matt Read
Nicholas Baptiste - Pierre Engvall - Pontus Aberg
Tanner MacMaster - Hudson Elynuik - Rich Clune

Defense

Kevin Gravel - Timothy Liljegren
Ben Harpur - Jordan Schmaltz
Teemu Kivihalme - Jesper Lindgren

Goalies

Joseph Woll
Kasimir Kaskisuo

Special Teams

Power Play 1:
Liljegren
Bracco - Brooks - Aberg
Korshkov -

Power Play 2:
Schmaltz
Engvall - Read - MacMaster
Archibald

Penalty Kills:
PK1: Elynuik - Brooks - Gravel - Liljegren
PK2: Baptiste - Engvall - Harpur - Schmaltz
PK3: Read - Gaudet - Gravel - Liljegren

First Period

Korshkov got called for an early penalty when he slashed a guy on defense. Gravel and Read essentially killed the whole penalty on their own, after getting stuck out for two shifts. Everything happened in those two minutes, leaving fans biting their nails. Clearing attempts bouncing off feet, Gaudet lost his stick for what felt like forever, and Woll had to make his first big save, a point-blank attempt from the slot after a disturbed clear by Liljegren.

1-0

The Marlies opened the scoring with Aberg getting his first goal of the season. Engvall was circling the offensive zone and threw the puck on from the top of the slot. Aberg was coming in from the wing and tapped home the rebound from the side of the net. Liljegren with the secondary assist for an all-Swedish goal. Also, make that three primary points (and counting) in three games for Engvall so far this season.

After One

The total shots were relatively close, but that was because the Marlies gave up four shots on that power play in the first half of the period. the Marlies had a power play of their own but failed to put anything on net during their two minutes with the extra man. Korshkov looked good, despite the penalty taken, as did the Engvall line with Aberg and Baptiste.

Second Period

2-0

The Marlies seem to be using Harpur and Schmaltz with the third line a lot to start the season (the Leafs and Marlies play the same system). Schmaltz is a pretty good offensive player in the AHL and he worked really well in this game, including on this goal by Engvall. Baptiste had the initial shot from the middle of the blue line that was blocked in front. Engvall did a great job of finding it, grabbing it with his long reach, spinning, and burying the rebound for his second goal of the season, fourth primary point.

3-0

The third line just kept going in the second, applying mountains of pressure every time they were on the ice. Seriously, it’s like they all carried a magnet that pulled them to the front of the net. Their third goal of the period was scored by Aberg, but it was a full team effort. Baptiste looks great in transition and aggressively drove the net, Engvall found the rebound in the corner against two guys and swung it back to the front of the net where Aberg was there to finish it off.

After Two

Seriously, the Engvall line was on another level in the second period. Nine shots in the period, eight right in front of the net, three goals. An unreal performance.

Third Period

4-0

Schmaltz took a high-sticking penalty early in the period (he’s taken three already this season). On the kill, Liljegren forced the Moose puck handler to make a pass into an open area at the corner of the offensive zone. Korshkov anticipated the pass and took full advantage with the breakaway, scoring a beauty. Korshkov is a really smart and proactive player when it comes to attacking in all three zones. Most players would sit back and protect the area of ice behind him, but Korshkov has the confidence in himself to take a risk and try and make something of it. That quality is definitely going to help him in the NHL when every play is high risk and those who collapse into themselves make a lot of money but don’t actually help their teams win.

By the end of the game the Marlies seemed to get a little loose and gave up a few dangerous chances. Woll barely had to do anything in the second period, but really earned his shutout by the end of the game. We are still extremely early, but it doesn’t hurt to start off on the right foot.

The Marlies are back in Toronto to play the Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals affiliates) on Wednesday night.

Toronto Marlies