This was a much better defensive effort from the Marlies, who gave up just 12 shots in the opening 40 minutes and 20 through regulation. Laval found it tough sledding trying to gain the zone as the Marlies stiffened up with better structure through neutral ice — an area in which head coach Sheldon Keefe was looking for improvement after a leaky start to the season defensively.
First Period
This rare Tuesday night tilt was by no means a classic, with just three shots recorded in the opening ten minutes, as both teams were defense focused and minimized the amount of risk taking early on.