Marlies Remain Five Points Back Heading Into Series With Moose

(HAMILTON, ON) - It's a game of inches, and sometimes seconds, as that was the case when Toronto nearly tied the game at final horn on Thursday night.

Cederick Desjardins stopped Ryan Hamilton in the final second of the game, as the Bulldogs held on for a 3-2 win over the Marlies in Hamilton on Thursday night at Copps Coliseum.

Ryan White, David Desharnais and J.T. Wyman scored for Hamilton, who won their franchise record 50th game of the season.

Drew Paris had his first AHL goal for Toronto, while Kyle Calder added his 14th of the season for the Marlies.

Hamilton jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead when White tipped a Frederic St. Denis point shot past James Reimer at the 5:42 marker. Desharnais increased the lead to 2-0 midway through the period, when he broke in on a two man rush, and snapped a shot past Reimer. The Bulldogs held a 14-8 lead in shots during the first period.

Toronto found the scoreboard late in the second period, when Tim Brent dug the puck out of the corner and worked it up to Paris, whose shot from the boards got past a screened Desjardins to make it 2-1.

The Marlies would pressure Hamilton several times in the third period, but couldn't take advantage of  their seven power plays. Late in the third on the man advantage, they pulled Reimer for the extra attacker, but after the penalty ended, Wyman blocked the puck at his own blue line and took it down the wing for the empty net goal to make it 3-1.

Toronto continued to press, and Ryan Hamilton set-up Calder in the slot for a quick shot past the stick of Desjardins to make it 3-2. WIth time running down, the Marlies tried to fire the puck on a deflection into the Bulldogs zone, but were called for icing with six seconds left.

The Marlies won the draw in their own zone and got the long pass up the ice for Justin Hodgman who fired a shot from the left wing that Desjardins kicked out, with the rebound going right to Ryan Hamilton, who fired a shot back on the net that Desjardins got a piece of at the final buzzer, to preserve the Bulldogs win.

Toronto will now host the Manitoba Moose at Ricoh Coliseum Friday night and Saturday afternoon, sitting five points back of the final playoff spot.