Toronto Marlies Rally Twice, Alexander Nylander Seals 7-4 Matinee Win

Alexander Nylander’s empty-netter with 1:10 remaining capped a 7-4 comeback as the Toronto Marlies rallied twice to defeat the Cleveland Monsters in a matinee at Coca-Cola Coliseum on March 4, 2026. Toronto erased a 3-1 first-period deficit and a 4-3 second-period edge by Cleveland before pulling away in the third.

Cleveland jumped out in the first when Roman Ahcan opened the scoring at 5:50 with assists from Luca Pinelli and Owen Sillinger. Logan Shaw answered for Toronto at 16:31, but Ahcan struck again at 18:07 to restore a one-goal lead. Luca Del Bel Belluz finished the burst of Cleveland scoring with a late first-period goal at 19:45, set up by Will Butcher and Corson Ceulemans, leaving the Monsters ahead 3-1 after 20 minutes.

Toronto chipped away in the second. Michael Pezzetta converted at 5:49 to cut the margin to 3-2, and Benoit-Olivier Groulx tied it at 12:55 to make it 3-3. Cleveland regained a 4-3 lead when Brendan Gaunce scored at 18:32 with helpers from Dysin Mayo and Zach Aston-Reese. The period scoreboard read Cleveland 4, Toronto 3.

The third period belonged to the Marlies. Luke Haymes tied the game at 5:42, and Vinni Lettieri put Toronto ahead at 7:19. Multiple recaps describe one of those early third-period strikes as a power-play goal, though the available play-by-play excerpts do not definitively assign the PPG to Haymes or Lettieri. Benoit-Olivier Groulx added an empty-net goal at 17:57, and Alexander Nylander finished the scoring at 18:50 (reported as with 01:10 remaining), giving Toronto a 7-4 final. Groulx finished with two goals for the Marlies; Ahcan had a two-goal game for the Monsters.

The shot-story underlines the drama: Cleveland outshot Toronto 42-22, yet Toronto converted seven times on its 22 shots. That discrepancy points to striking offensive efficiency for the Marlies and a need for further clarification on Cleveland goaltending numbers. News-Herald and Morning Journal published a line that Ivan Fedotov saved 15 of 20 shots faced, a figure that conflicts with the reported 42-22 shot totals and the seven goals allowed; the team boxscore and play-by-play should be consulted to reconcile goalie minutes, shots faced, and any relief appearances.

The result altered the ledger shown in team materials: ClevelandMonsters lists the Monsters at 29-18-6-1 and in third place in the AHL North Division after the loss, while the Marlies’ boxscore header shows Toronto at 27-18-4-5. The Monsters return home for two games against longtime rival Grand Rapids beginning March 6, and one recap noted the Marlies will face a Moose club on March 6 at 7 p.m. CST.

On-ice, this game highlighted individual performances that matter for development and roster evaluation: Ahcan’s multi-goal night and Groulx’s two scores are concrete outputs scouts and front offices track, while Toronto’s ability to overturn a multi-goal deficit underlines depth scoring at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Off the ice, the matinee setting combined with a wild finish produces the kind of late-season theater that can boost local engagement and ticket-market value for AHL clubs as they head into March scheduling and divisional races.