Marlies @ Albany Devils (November 13)

Nazem Kadri scored the game winner in over-time to secure a 4-3 win for the Marlies. The goal was the first of the season for Kadri - who also added two assists on the night. 

I haven't been able to watch the Marlies as closely as I would have liked over the past couple weeks, but today I had a chance to finally sit down and take in enough of a game to do a blog on it! Marlies are a bit banged up right now, but have a good amount of depth that have come through in recent games.

Tonight, the story was Nazem Kadri. Many fans are screaming for him to be re-called to the big club for an offensive spark and they may get their wish if tonight was any indication. He came away with 1g (the game winner in OT) and also added two assists. He probably could have had a few more goals as he seemed to be buzzing all night. He also seems to have a unique ability to draw penalties..maybe he goes down a bit too easy, but he hides it well. With the Marlies heading back home, it wouldn't shock me to see him back with the parent club at some point this week - especially if the Maple Leafs continue their offensive woes.

It was not only great to see him score, but have the goal count as the game winner in OT! This will hopefully be something he builds on now that he's finally busted the goose-egg.

As for the rest of the team, here's a few players that stood out (in one way or another):

[Greg Scott - Marcel Mueller] ... the other portion of Kadri's line, these two were very good tonight - Scott specifically. He showed great speed on the PK, and also was able to create a few scoring chances with his speed at even strength. While he didn't record any points, he did tally three shots on net. Mueller was a bull, and showed some really nice puck control all game. His goal was the first he's tallied since his injury, and like Kadri, hopefully it's something he builds on. He really played the cycle game well, and was able to control the tempo of  the game. 

[Mike Zigomanis - Ryan Hamilton] ... Sort of unsung heroes who get lost in the shuffle, I wouldn't be opposed to Zigomanis getting a shot with the parent club either. He's been an all-situation player with the Marlies and is just outside the top 10 in league scoring with 16 points in 15 games. Hamilton showed great power-forward ability today also. He drove to the net and created opportunities. His two goals spoke of his game. He actually scored on goal on his back! Which was pretty impressive to witness after a scramble in-front of Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid (who was awesome).

[Jussi Rynnas]... He made a few 'key' saves, including a beauty on Urbom point blank, but he wasn't tested all that much..which is unfortunate because his stats took another hit due to the Marlies dominance throughout the game. I thought he was much more composed in net then he usually is - he didn't do a ton of flopping around. The first two goals against were more a result of the poor defense in-front of him rather then his play. The first was a brutal turnover by Mikus that sent two Devil forwards in, and Bernier banged in the rebound after the Marlies defense (I believe it was Mikus) didn't tie him up in front. The second goal was off a redirection/scramble in-front and both Marlie defenders lost their man - allowing the Devils to bang home another rebound. The third goal was a shot from the point that appeared to be redirected infront, but Rynnas was also out of position on the far side...I thought he overplayed it a bit too much for a shot like that from the point where you know they are looking to get some traffic in-front of him. Had he been a bit more squared, he likely would have stopped it. But, at the end of the day he got the win, so that should count for something.

Marlies sit atop o the Western Division right now with 17 points...Keith Aulie returned from a rib injury and was a -2...Korbinian Holzer was sporting the 'A' on his jersey with Jeff Finger out of the lineup..Kenny Ryan got in his first AHL fight against former OHL'er Dan Kelly...Darryl Boyce, Luca Caputi, Joe Colborne, and Matt Lashoff are the key players who are still out with varrying degrees of injury (Lashoff being the worst of the bunch).

The Marlies are off until next Friday, when they take on the Rochester Americans. They'll have three games in three nights and may have some of their injured bodies back in the lineup.

Marlies vs. Devils game sheet HERE

Marlies vs. Lake Erie Monsters (October 16)

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.

As per AM640 Marlie's reporter Kyle Cicerella, second-year forward Dale Mitchell is still a few weeks away as he recovers from off-season surgery (torn ACL). Once he's back, he should add more depth in the bottom-six.

Marlies vs. Monsters game sheet HERE

AM640's Kyle the Reporter's Recap HERE also!