AHL Morning Skate: May 20, 2026

The North Division finals resume at Coca-Cola Coliseum tonight (7 ET, ) as Toronto hosts Cleveland in Game 3.

The Monsters let a two-goal lead slip away in Game 1, but they did not let history repeat itself in Game 2, holding off the Marlies for a 3-1 victory to even the series at one win apiece. Roman Ahcan (1-0-1), Mikael Pyyhtiä (2-2-4) and Luca Pinelli (1-1-2) scored for Cleveland, while Zach Sawchenko (4-1, 1.85, .924) stopped 17 of 18 shots.

A misplayed puck led to a shorthanded goal by Bo Groulx (3-3-6) to cut Cleveland’s lead to 2-1 late in the second period.

“It’s something we talked about,” Monsters head coach Trent Vogelhuber said. “Emotions are high in the playoffs. When something good or bad happens it’s easy to swing with those, and it’s so important that you don’t. We know we’re playing well at that point. It’s a bad bounce, and they get a goal – it can’t matter. It can’t affect the way that you play. You have to stay diligent with what you’re doing and trust your process.”

Cleveland killed off a Marlies power play early in the third period, got Pinelli’s insurance goal with 7:06 to play and limited Toronto to 18 shots on goal. It was the fourth game in a row in which the Marlies have been held to under 20 shots.

“You could see it coming again,” Toronto head coach John Gruden said. “It looked like a very familiar script from the last time. You can only play catch-up so many times.”

Monsters forward Zach Aston-Reese and his wife Alexandra welcomed baby boy Oliver on May 8. After sitting out Game 1, Aston-Reese returned to the lineup and recorded an assist in Game 2.

“It was definitely hard to say goodbye and come back, but I love being around the boys as well,” said Aston-Reese, who was with his family in New Jersey for the birth. “It’s a great locker room. I got a couple of good skates in and felt good out there.”

Over in the Pacific Division finals, the Colorado Eagles look to close out Coachella Valley as they take a 2-1 series lead into Game 4 tonight (9:05 ET, ).

The Eagles are bidding for their first-ever appearance in the AHL’s Western Conference Finals.

Chase Bradley (3-3-6) notched two goals and an assist in Colorado’s 4-1 win in Game 3 on Sunday, while Ivan Ivan (1-8-9) had two assists, giving him six points in his last five games.

“Their ability to read off each other, they’re just built for the playoffs, the way they play,” Colorado head coach Mark Letestu said of the line of Bradley, Ivan and Jason Polin. “They play a hard, 200-foot game, responsible in all zones. They’re getting rewarded right now as a result of that work. It’s infectious, when guys are playing that way, it goes right through the whole hockey team.”

Gavin Brindley (2-3-5) added a goal and an assist and Trent Miner (7-2, 1.18, .950) made 28 saves for the Eagles in Game 3; Miner has allowed just 11 goals on 221 shots in nine postseason games.

Colorado has been without its captain Jayson Megna – and his 70 career games of Calder Cup Playoff experience – this series after he was injured last round.

“There’s a real buy-in to win here right now from the group,” Letestu said. “When a guy like Megs goes down, there’s a void no doubt – he’s so important to us – but it’s a group effort. Everybody picks up a little bit of slack and you get 60-minute efforts like we had [in Game 3].”

Coachella Valley has already won four elimination games this postseason, coming back from the brink to defeat Bakersfield and Ontario.

“We’re going to need everybody to jump on board,” Firebirds head coach Derek Laxdal said. “Colorado’s a hell of a team and our guys have done a great job of grinding to where we are right now.”