Toronto starts Hildeby, Akhtyamov in net for play-in opener versus Rochester

Toronto’s first playoff tell was in the crease: Dennis Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov were the goaltending plan for Game 1, a choice that made the Marlies’ opener against Rochester feel less like a routine lineup reveal and more like a series-long bet on the net.

The best-of-three North Division play-in started Wednesday night at Coca-Cola Coliseum, with Game 2 set for Friday in Rochester and a potential Game 3 back in Toronto on Sunday. In a 23-team Calder Cup field where the first round is compressed into short series, every choice carries extra weight, and Toronto’s decision to go with Hildeby and Akhtyamov signaled that the Marlies were ready to attack the matchup with their two most relevant playoff options in goal.

That mattered because the teams entered the postseason separated by nine points. Toronto finished 35-26-5 for 80 points and fourth in the North Division, while Rochester came in at 31-29-5 for 71 points and fifth. Home ice belonged to the Marlies, but the division pairing still carried the feel of a trapdoor series, especially with Rochester celebrating its 70th season in the American Hockey League and bringing veteran urgency into a short-window format.

The goaltending choice also carried a clear memory of the last meeting. Rochester beat Toronto 5-2 on March 27, and Hildeby handled 36 shots that night, stopping 32 of them. Devon Levi turned away 27 of 29 for the Americans in that game, which only sharpened the contrast heading into the playoffs: Toronto was leaning on a goalie who had already seen this opponent’s pace and shot volume, while Rochester arrived with the confidence of a recent win and a goalie in form.

That is where the chess match begins. In a series this short, Toronto’s forward combinations and defensive pairings were not just about balance, they were about trying to force Rochester into unfavorable matchups and give Hildeby cleaner looks than he got in that March meeting. The Marlies’ late-season push got them into this spot, and the opener made clear they intended to use the first 60 minutes to dictate the terms before the series shifted east.

If Toronto’s edge held, the message would be bigger than one game. Hildeby and Akhtyamov in net suggested the organization was treating the playoffs as a live test of its future crease picture, with every save in Game 1 echoing beyond this round.