Carlo Colaiacovo, Staffan Kronwall and Brett Englehardt recorded a goal and an assist each as Toronto dug out of an early 2-0 hole and posted a 5-2 win over Syracuse in the Marlies’ inaugural home opener at Ricoh Coliseum on Wednesday night.
Colin Murphy and Chris St. Jacques added two assists each for the Marlies.
Mark Hartigan tempered the festive atmosphere with a goal just 53 seconds into the game, and rookie Geoff Platt added his second shorthanded goal of the young season at the 6:06 mark of the first period.
But Colaiacovo got Toronto on the board in the final minute of the opening frame, and John Pohl tied it at the 11:14 mark of the second.
Brad Leeb scored what would be the winning goal with 1:29 left in the second, and Kronwall and Englehardt followed with third-period tallies.
Toronto scored four power-play goals on the night, while Syracuse went 0-for-10. The Crunch are scoreless in 25 opportunities on the year.
Attendance was 8,056.
GRAND RAPIDS 5, CLEVELAND 2Grand Rapids won its seventh consecutive road opener, posting an impressive 5-2 win in Cleveland on Wednesday.
Defenseman Derek Meech led the Griffins with four points (1g, 3a) and Grand Rapids went 2-for-5 on the power play, improving to 6-for-11 on the season.
After a scoreless first period, the teams combined for six goals in the second. Jiri Hudler and Eric Manlow registered a goal and an assist each for Grand Rapids, and Drew MacIntyre finished with 25 saves.
MANITOBA 2, OMAHA 1
Rick Rypien‘s shorthanded goal 8:29 into the game stood up as the difference as Manitoba found the win column with a 2-1 victory in Omaha.
Mark Giordano scored on a power play for the Knights at 2:11, and Nathan Smith answered for the Moose at 4:14. After Rypien’s goal, the final 51-and-a-half minutes went scoreless.
Wade Flaherty made 26 saves for Manitoba, which had opened the season with back-to-back losses in Peoria. Curtis McElhinney stopped 25 shots for Omaha.
SAN ANTONIO 3, CHICAGO 2
Mike Bishai had a goal and two assists for San Antonio as the Rampage rallied for a 3-2 win over Chicago.
Eight of the Rampage’s 11 goals this season have been scored in the third period.
Steve Gainey also had a goal and two assists for the Rampage, scoring the tying goal early in the third before setting up Bishai’s game-winner.
Scott Barney scored both goals for the Wolves, who led 2-0 just 5:01 into the contest.
All five goals in the game came on the power play.
