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Published Jun 01, 2026 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 3 minute read
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Toronto Marlies goaltender Artur Akhtyamov Photo by Thomas Skrlj /Toronto MarliesArticle content
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When the Eastern Conference final began, the Toronto Marlies figured they would be in for the long haul against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
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After winning the first two games of the best-of-seven in the Calder Cup playoffs, the Marlies now know the Penguins aren’t going away quietly.
In Game 3 at the Coca-Cola Coliseum on Monday night, the Penguins scored three goals in the third period to defeat the Marlies 5-3.
Though his team is up 2-1 in the series, Marlies coach John Gruden referred to Game 4 at home on Wednesday night as a “must-win.”
“I just think we don’t want to give (the Penguins) any more momentum,” Gruden said. “As a group of guys that have worked so hard and played so well together as a team, I think (his players) know that too.
“I don’t have to put any more pressure on them, I’m just out here saying it. We’ll have to look at some things and clean up a few things, but there’s a lot to like, and our guys, I know they’ll be ready to go come Wednesday.”
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Cowan out again
Marlies rookie forward Easton Cowan missed his second game in a row because of an upper-body issue. Whether Cowan, who has nine points in 14 playoff games and has been playing with confidence, returns to the lineup in Game 4 is to be determined.
“Hopefully, we get him back,” Gruden said. “That would be a nice boost for us. But we’re more concerned about his health and his well-being, making sure that if he’s 100% he’ll be ready to go, and if he’s not, then he won’t (play).”
Less than three minutes after Ville Koivunen scored on a one-timer at 7:48 while the teams played four-on-four, Atley Calvert beat Marlies goalie Artur Akhtyamov for the winning goal.
The Marlies will have to adjust to doing a better job defending against the Penguins’ transition game on Wednesday. It gave them fits at times in Game 3, but even the play of Akhtyamov, who again was sharp with 29 saves, could not bail out the Marlies.
With Akhtyamov on the bench in favour of an extra skater, Marc Johnstone scored his first goal of the playoffs at 19:08 to get the Marlies to within one.
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The Penguins responded with an empty-net goal by Tanner Howe at 19:24.
The Marlies had some looks on Penguins goalie Sergei Murashov during three power plays, but were unable to score with a man advantage. Murashov finished with 36 saves.
The teams went into the second intermission tied 2-2 after Luke Haymes brought the Marlies even at 17:36 of the second.
Haymes, from the corner to the right of Murashov, banked the puck off defenceman Owen Pickering and into the net.
Not long before the Haymes goal, Akhtyamov stopped Howe on a breakaway.
The Marlies’ Vinni Lettieri opened the scoring at 12:15 of the first period when his shot from the point found its way through a screen and past Murashov.
Aidan McDonough had an easy tap-in past Akhtyamov to make it 1-1 on a power play at 14:38 of the first as Michael Pezzetta served a tripping minor.
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Penguins take a lead
The Penguins went up 2-1 at 2:04 of the second.
Bill Zonnon, a first-round pick by Pittsburgh, 22nd overall, last June went to the net following a rush by McDonough. Zonnon shoved the puck over the line before he could be checked by the Marlies’ Landon Sim.
After Wednesday, Game 5 will be at the Coca-Cola Coliseum on Friday. If necessary, Games 6 and 7 will be in Wilkes-Barre next Sunday and Tuesday respectively.
“You’d love to be up 3-0, but not a lot of series go that way,” Marlies veteran defenceman Dakota Mermis said. “We’re proof of that through the playoffs. We’ve played the maximum number of games, so we expect every series is going to go the maximum number of games, and we’ll do our best to have a good response on Wednesday.”
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