Toronto Marlies' dream season ends at hands of Hershey Bears
Canada's team is no more.
The Toronto Marlies' dominant season ended in the most disappointing fashion Sunday, as the AHL club was eliminated by the Hershey Bears - the Washington Capitals' affiliate - in Game 5 by a 3-2 score.
The Marlies fell behind 3-0 and although they made a game of it, couldn't find the tying goal to keep their season alive. The Bears will face the Lake Erie Monsters - the Columbus Blue Jackets' affiliate - in the Calder Cup Finals.
Games 1 & 2 of the #CalderCup Finals will be Wednesday & Friday in Hershey, PA. pic.twitter.com/VUhu4ufVdK
— AHL (@TheAHL) May 29, 2016
The Marlies were a force all season, finishing as the league's best team with a 54-16-5-1 record. The playoffs, though, were a different story, as the baby Maple Leafs lost seven of 15 games.
Toronto's goaltending was its downfall in the postseason. Antoine Bibeau struggled again in Game 5, stopping only 17 of 20 shots. He ends the postseason with a .900 save percentage and 2.73 goals-against average in 12 games.
Sheldon Keefe: "Our players grew a lot through this."
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) May 29, 2016
The Bears, meanwhile, are headed to their 23rd Calder Cup Finals, and fifth in 11 seasons since linking with the Capitals.
Justin Peters was the opposite of Bibeau in the crease for Hershey. He'll play for the AHL's ultimate prize with a .929 save percentage and two shutouts this spring.