Michael Pezzetta scored the go-ahead goal with 1:36 remaining in regulation to lift the visiting Toronto Marlies to a 4-2 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday night.
The Marlies take their 1-0 series lead into Game 2 on Friday evening (7:05 ET, 
).
Pezzetta wristed a shot from the top of the left-wing circle that beat Sergei Murashov and sent the Marlies to their third consecutive win. Easton Cowan and William Villeneuve also scored for Toronto, Henry Thrun added an empty-net goal plus an assist, and Artur Akhtyamov (8-4) made 34 saves, allowing two goals or fewer for the ninth time in his 12 playoff starts.
Alexander Alexeyev and Rutger McGroarty scored for the Penguins, who dropped to 3-3 on home ice this postseason. Murashov (6-4) finished with 12 saves on 15 shots as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton outshot Toronto, 36-16.
The Marlies allowed the game’s first goal for the 10th time in 14 playoff contests, but earned their fifth come-from-behind victory of the postseason.
(Toronto leads series, 1-0)
Game 1 – Wed., May 27 – Toronto 4, W-B/SCRANTON 2
Game 2 – Fri., May 29 – Toronto at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Game 3 – Mon., June 1 – W-B/Scranton at Toronto, 7:00
Game 4 – Wed., June 3 – W-B/Scranton at Toronto, 7:00
*Game 5 – Fri., June 5 – W-B/Scranton at Toronto, 7:00
*Game 6 – Sun., June 7 – Toronto at W-B/Scranton, 6:05
*Game 7 – Tue., June 9 – Toronto at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern
