Monsters Playoff Run Ends After 3-2 Game 5 Loss to Marlies
Cowan scored with 11 seconds left as Toronto erased a late deficit and advanced to the Calder Cup Eastern Conference final for the first time since 2019.
- On Sunday at Rocket Arena, Easton Cowan scored with 12 seconds remaining in Game 5, giving the Toronto Marlies a 3-2 win and eliminating the Cleveland Monsters from the Calder Cup Playoffs.
- Cleveland struck first when Zach Aston-Reese scored at 6:31, with Vinni Lettieri tying the game six minutes later; Hudson Fasching gave the Monsters a 2-1 lead in the second period on the power play.
- Marlies captain Logan Shaw tied the game at 15:30 of the third period with a one-timer assisted by Vinni Lettieri, setting up Cowan's game-winner; Artur Akhtyamov made 22 saves for Toronto while Zach Sawchenko made 21 for Cleveland.
- Toronto will face the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals, marking the first playoff meeting between the teams after splitting their two regular-season matchups 1-1.
- Cowan's ability to perform under playoff pressure traces back to his 2025 Memorial Cup MVP season with the London Knights; former Leafs executive Jason Spezza now serves as Penguins general manager under Kyle Dubas.
10 Articles
10 Articles
Monsters eliminated from AHL playoffs by Toronto Marlies, 3-2, on goal with 11 seconds left in the game
CLEVELAND, Ohio — After holding a lead for most of the third period, the Monsters surrendered two goals in the final 4 1/2 minutes Sunday and fell to the Toronto Marlies, 3-2, at Rocket Arena in Game 5 of their American Hockey League North Division finals series. The loss ended the season for the Monsters, who dropped the final two games after leading the best-of-five series, 2-1.
Late goal by Marlies eliminates Monsters from AHL playoffs
The Monsters were five minutes from going to the AHL Eastern Conference finals. They are going home instead. The Toronto Marlies, trailing 2-1 late in the third period on May 24 at Rocket Arena, tied the game with 4:30 remaining and then broke the tie with 11.3 seconds left on a goal that might give […]
Toronto Marlies stun Monsters in final minute to end Cleveland's season in decisive Game 5 of North Division Finals
The Cleveland Monsters conceded two goals in the final five minutes of a decisive Game 5 against Toronto, ending their season in the North Division Finals.
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