Marlies Home Opener

[Newfie John]

Marlies won their home opener 5-2 last night. Three stars were Colaiocovo, Kronwall and Murphy. The game was not a sell out. Mike Penny says that an average attendance of 6000 would be amazing for the club this year. Hmm..

Anyway, it's nice to see Coli and Kronwall doing well. By rights they should be with the big squad but Aki and Wade must be friends with Quinn, friends with benefits too I guess since they still get ice time after their horrible efforts this year.

Murphy continues his development as a prospect as he will play an intregral role on the Marlies this year. A Hobey Baker(I bet I said that wrong) award finalist looked good last year when I seen him, and appears to be improving.

A much better result then losing 8-5 to Rochester.

[leaferfan87]

I heard Colaiacovo looked good yesterday (hint...hint...Pat!) with a goal and an assist. Battaglia also got an assist yesterday.

I don't know much about Colin Murphy. What can people tell me about him?

[Amoroq]

http://torontosun.com/Sports/Hockey/2005/10/13/1260639-sun.html

Marlies right at home

By TERRY KOSHAN, TORONTO SUN




The slogan of the Toronto Marlies is See the Leafs of Tomorrow Today, and a couple of the young men who are prime candidates to make that a reality came up big last night in the inaugural home game of the AHL club.

The last two cuts in Leafs camp, defencemen Staffan Kronwall and Carlo Colaiacovo, were instrumental in the first win in Marlies franchise history. Both recorded a goal and an assist as the Marlies, before a crowd of 8,056 at the Ricoh Coliseum (shy of the capacity of 8,295),beat the Syracuse Crunch 5-2 to even their record at 1-1.

With Leafs brass, including general manager John Ferguson, looking on, Kronwall was named first star and Colaiacovo second.

"I want to play for the Leafs one day but I know I have to do well down here," Kronwall said. "My heart belongs to the Marlies now."

Another Leafs defence hopeful who logged a large chunk of ice time was Andy Wozniewski. He was sent to the Marlies earlier in the day but will practise with the Leafs today and will accompany the team to Atlanta and Montreal this weekend.

While Kronwall, Colaiacovo and Wozniewski were demonstrating their potential to be full-time Leafs, coach Paul Maurice was impressed with the crowd.

"It's nice to be back in Canada because the fans were oohing and aahing at the right time," said Maurice, who was fired by the Carolina Hurricanes two years ago. "Fans here appreciate the subtleties of the game and I enjoyed that."

After a pre-game ceremony that included players who had worn both the sweater of the Marlies and the Leafs -- including Steve Thomas, who received the loudest ovation -- the Marlies fell behind 2-0. But Colaiacovo erased a personal gaffe on the Crunch's second goal when he beat goalie Martin Prusek with a high slapshot to get the Marlies' ball rolling.

"It was great to see the fan support and hopefully we can continue (to get) that," Colaiacovo said. "I don't know who picks (the stars), but it was an all-around effort to battle back from a 2-0 (deficit)and put on a good show for the fans."

---

MARLIES 5

CRUNCH 2

- The difference: The Marlies' ability to solve Martin Prusek. He stopped the first 17 shots he saw, but was less than ordinary the rest of the way.

- Goal scorers:

Tor: Carlo Colaiacovo, John Pohl, Brad Leeb, Staffan Kronwall, Brett Englehardt

Syr: Mark Hartigan, Geoff Platt

- In goal:

W: J-S Aubin (1-0) L: Martin Prusek(1-1)

The marlies being just a 6 dollar cab ride from the ACC, JFJ, and Coach Quinn, can now get first hand information gathered by their own eyes and minds on who can help out the big club. Much better then game film and a phone call. I really think that in the long term, this will help in the development of the over all quality of the whole organisation.

[Newfie John]

I heard Colaiacovo looked good yesterday (hint...hint...Pat!) with a goal and an assist. Battaglia also got an assist yesterday.

I don't know much about Colin Murphy. What can people tell me about him?

He's an offensive type of player, a playmaker of sorts. Not physical and irresponsible in his own end but his puckhandling skills are almost of Wellwood quality, and that's saying something. He's an ok skater and has a beauty of a shot. A long term project for the leafs and he's coming along nicely.

[Leafs_Fa_Life]

The marlies being just a 6 dollar cab ride from the ACC, JFJ, and Coach Quinn, can now get first hand information gathered by their own eyes and minds on who can help out the big club. Much better then game film and a phone call. I really think that in the long term, this will help in the development of the over all quality of the whole organisation.

Also, Woz was sent down after the Philly game, played last night, got called back up, and will be with the Leafs over the weekend for the road trip. Great way to break in young players. Play with the Marlies when both teams are in Toronto and the big club has the night off. Then after that you get called back up to practice with the big club and travel with the team.

[Amoroq]

He's an offensive type of player, a playmaker of sorts. Not physical and irresponsible in his own end but his puckhandling skills are almost of Wellwood quality, and that's saying something. He's an ok skater and has a beauty of a shot. A long term project for the leafs and he's coming along nicely.I get that offence part of his game, the question is, is he more of a liability in his own end then Berg, Belak and Woz? Obviously Quinn and Fergy do, and is he better offensively then McCabe and Kaberle?

Offence isn't a problem for the Leafs and if Coli only has the O, then he is useless to this team, unless he can play forward.

Still I'd like to see Coli have at least half the chance Quinn has given Berg and Belak. If he turns out to be a pylon in his own end then at least we'll know we're in different kind of hell then the one we sit at now.

[Newfie John]

I get that offence part of his game, the question is, is he more of a liability in his own end then Berg, Belak and Woz? Obviously Quinn and Fergy do, and is he better offensively then McCabe and Kaberle?

Offence isn't a problem for the Leafs and if Coli only has the O, then he is useless to this team, unless he can play forward.

Still I'd like to see Coli have at least half the chance Quinn has given Berg and Belak. If he turns out to be a pylon in his own end then at least we'll know we're in different kind of hell then the one we sit at now.

My post was about Colin Murphy.