Monsters fall in cat-and-mouse game with Marlies

The Monsters have been treading water since jumping off to a 3-0 start in the 2018-19 season.

In a game symbolic of the way the season has gone, they fell behind by two goals twice Nov. 23, caught the Toronto Marlies both times and then fell with 43 seconds left in overtime, 6-5, before a crowd of 8,891 at Quicken Loans Arena.

“Overall, we got what we deserved,” Coach John Madden said. “We didn’t play particularly well in the first period. I will give our guys credit. We did battle back. We got a point out of the game. We didn’t play so well, so we’ll take the point and move on.”

Mason Marchment scored the game-winner by outmuscling defenseman Adam Clendening in front of the Monsters’ net, reaching out with his stick and beating Monsters goalie Jean-Francois Berube on the glove side.

The Marlies had an 11-1 shot advantage and a 2-0 lead 8:27 into the first period.

Defense in front of Monsters goalie Jean Francois Berube was sloppy. The same thing happened in overtime when Toronto outshot the Monsters, 6-3, in just over four minutes.

The Monsters cut the 2-0 lead in half on a backhand shot by Kevin Stenlund from the left circle, but still trailed, 3-1, after the first period.

A second-period goal by Paul Bittner and a shorthanded tally by Mark Letestu tied the game 3-3 at 14:28 of the second, but again the defense faltered and allowed the Marlies to take a two-goal lead.

The Monsters fought back, cut the deficit to 5-4 on a goal by Eric Robinson and then tied it with a 6-on-4 advantage on Letestu’s second goal of the game with 1:57 left in regulation.