Calder Cup hopes no pipe dream for Marlies
If the Toronto Marlies have had an advantage over the rest of the American Hockey League all season long it’s been in net, where Garret Sparks and Calvin Pickard have proven to be the backbone of a team with Calder Cup aspirations.
Both have NHL experience, both believe they can play in the NHL — and both have focused on the job at hand, proud to be among the few hockey teams still playing in May.
“This is a hard league to compete in from start to finish, so having two NHL goalies, it makes your team’s life a lot easier,” said Sparks. “You know you’re going to get saves every game that maybe other teams around the league aren’t getting.
Sparks will get the start on Saturday to start the Eastern Conference final (4 p.m.) against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
He will wear, for the first time, a mask paying tribute to Humboldt Broncos goalie Parker Tobin, one of 16 killed in a devastating bus crash last month.
“I felt after seeing the outpouring of reaction to Parker’s passing that he meant a lot to a lot of people, and the tribute to him is worth more than a sticker on a mask,” said Sparks.
Sparks and Pickard have been outstanding. Sparks won the Aldege (Baz) Bastien Award as the AHL’s top goalie, while the tandem took home the Harry (Hap) Holmes Memorial Award for allowing the fewest goals.
“Goaltending takes care of a lot of things for you,” said coach Sheldon Keefe. “It gives you a confidence to go out and play. They’ve formed a real nice partnership together. They talk a lot. They’re very supportive when the other guy is in the net. They understand it.”
Sparks has been a Marlie for at least parts of the last seven seasons, plus a 17-game appearance with the Maple Leafs at the end of the 2015-16 season. This was his best, stats-wise. He was 31-9-1 with a 1.79 goals-against average and .936 save percentage in the regular season, and has followed that up with a solid post-season (6-2-0, 2.22, .920).
Pickard was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights following training camp, after having spent the last three seasons with the Colorado Avalanche. He was almost as good as Sparks in the regular season (21-9-1, 2.31, .918) and has kept a positive frame of mind despite getting into just two games in the playoffs (1-0, 1.15, .949).