CLEVELAND — One day after the Columbus Blue Jackets, their National Hockey League affiliate, were eliminated from the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Cleveland Monsters met a similar fate in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
In front of the home fans at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland Tuesday night, the Monsters suffered a 6-2 loss to the Toronto Marlies in Game 4 of the best-of-seven second-round series. The Game 4 win allowed the Marlies to finish off a four-game sweep of the Monsters.
Things were looking good for the Monsters in the early going of Game 4, as they held a 2-0 lead over the Marlies, thanks to goals from right winger Trey Fix-Wolansky and center Zac Dalpe over the first seven minutes of play, but everything changed in the second period.
The Marlies tallied four goals in the second period, including two on the power play, and never looked back.
Left winger Mason Marchment scored Toronto’s first two goals, the first at the one-minute mark and the next came less than three minutes later.
Then, left winger Ryan Moore registered his third and fourth goals of the Calder Cup Playoffs, first an even-strength tally at the 7:12 mark, and then, on the power play less than three minutes later.
Marlies left winger Michael Carcone closed the book on the scoring with a pair of goals in the third period.
With the four-game sweep of the Monsters, the Marlies have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they will play either the Charlotte Checkers or Hershey Bears. Currently, the Checkers hold a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven series with the Bears.