The Marlies wrapped up their three games in three nights weekend with an impressive 4-0 victory over the Lake Erie Monsters. Jerry D'Amigo (above) had a three point night.
The Marlies now improve to 3-1 on the season.
The Marlies came away with two key wins this weekend after beating a injury plagued Lake Erie team in back-to-back nights. After a frustrating game against Grand Rapids, the Marlies bounced back very well in the physiciality department and it helped them secure four points.
The importance of winning against their division cannot be overlooked - and when it comes to a team like Lake Erie it's even more important to jump on those points early. The big difference seemed to be goaltending - Lake Erie just didn't have it. Their starting net-minder Credrik Desjardins is injured for at least a few more weeks, but when he's healthy he could be a difference maker. So again, it's important to jump on these teams while they can. Would have been nice to see a clean sweep of three wins, but I'll take the points.
The Marlies next game is this coming Saturday, so there's a long break in between, but another key match-up vs. the Rochester Americans. The American's are 2-2 right now, and always seem to bring a good amount of physicality and veteran skill. Marlie will need to be equally as physical if they want to compete. The Marlies could have Jake Gardiner and Nazem Kadri in the lineup this coming weekend, which will add more speed and skill to the lineup.
As for Sunday's game..
[Joey Crabb - Joe Colborne - Jerry D'Amigo]...This line played very well!.....Crabb looks a real step above the rest of the competition out there. He's showing that he belongs in the NHL with his play over the weekend (and even vs. Binghampton). He's shown great puck skills, physicality, and a strong work-ethic. I wouldn't be shocked to see him called up before someone like Darrly Boyce or Mike Zigomanis if injuries arise - he's just played that well.....Colborne has been lighting it up so far this season, and although he slowed down a bit last night (lots of games in limited nights) he still picked up an assist and played well - just wasn't as much of a force as he has been in previous games.....D'Amigo had a great game last night and is starting to get back into the groove. He's keeping up fine with his line and his hard work is starting to pay off. He's not a gifted player, but has speed and smarts to get in the right spots. Picked up three-points, which hopefully will give him added confidence to score more. He also saw PK time, which was a nice bonus for him - he certainly has the speed to compete. People sort of toss him to the side after he didn't blow the doors off the AHL like fellow NCAA turned pro players Brandon Pirri and Kyle Palmieri, but let's not forget this guy is still only 20 years old - one of the youngest on the team. He deserves a fair shake, and still has potential to be a player (even if it's not for another 2-3 years from now).
[Marcel Mueller - Luca Caputi]...Two players of similar ilk, are starting to come around a bit. Mueller, after last season where he only had five points (1 goal, 4 assists) in his first 20 games, has almost already matched that with four points in his first four games. He's looking much more confident handling the puck and is really a threat in every game so far. The big thing for him will be sustaining his offensive/physical presence as it faded at points last year. At 23-years-old, and 6'4 .. he may take a little seasoning to flourish into an NHL player, but he's certainly displayed the necessary tools. Caputi is a player who's seen limited minutes in the first few games, but he also missed almost all of last season with injury. Eakins wants him at the level he was with Wilkes-Barre, but at this point he just needs to play. Scored a big goal the other night, and has looked better in every game. Thought he played very well on Sunday in a grinding/power-forward role even though he was with two ECHL players in Will Acton/Kyle Neuber. Created a few scoring chances by powering his way down low. Speed is an issue with him, but hopefully something that can be corrected over the year with more game conditioning. Again, he's another player who may need some seasoning because his style of play may not translate smoothly right away. The big difference in my eyes between these two players seems to be skating though..which at the end of the day may be the deal breaker in terms of getting a spot on an NHL club..
[Jeff Finger]...He scored a goal, which was nice to see and he seems like a really good guy, but his speed isn't even great for an AHL level. He gets burned in the defensive zone a lot off the rush, and it's going to lead to penalties against us. I wouldn't be benching players like Jesse Blacker in favour of him, that's for sure. At the same time, he did miss a ton of last season, so I'll cut him a break.
[Jussi Rynnas]...For a guy who hasn't had a ton of games due to injury, he looked really good. You certainly notice him in net due to his size, but what stands out vs. the other goalies is how atheltic he is. He's able to move so quickly in the net and made a terrific post-to-post pad save at one point last night. He didn't get tested a whole lot, and maybe was a bit too jumpy at certain points - but he did a good job challenging shooters and is aggressive. He really owns his crease, and is willing to push back if he needs to - has that 'bite' you see out of some of the more aggressive NHL goalies. Can't really complain about a shut-out - he stopped what he had to. He was extremely hot/cold last year (including a mind-blowing November), so it'll be interesting to see if he can sustain any momentum.
That's about it. I thought everyone played a rather solid two-games against Lake Erie. It's good to get off to a strong start and the Marlies have done that. Seems to be a good amount of competition right now for spots, but that can easily change when injuries/call-ups start coming through.
Marlies vs. Monsters game sheet HERE
AM640's Kyle the Reporter's Recap HERE also!
