The Lake Erie Monsters kicked off a back-to-back weekend set with a 7-4 loss to the Toronto Marlies in front of 7,451 at Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday. The Monsters built a 2-1 lead in the first period but were outscored 6-2 in the final 40 minutes. Lake Erie is now 2-1-0-0 against the Marlies this season.

With the loss, Lake Erie falls to 12-11-2-4 overall, 6-3-0-2 in the North Division and 7-4-2-2 on home ice.

The Monsters jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 3:19 into the contest. From the hash mark, Curtis Fraser slipped a shot through net-front traffic for his third goal of the season. Patrick Bordeleau and Zach Cohen assisted.

Toronto answered at 7:00 of the first period, when Christian Hanson scored on a one-timer from the mid slot. Center Darryl Boyce assisted Hanson’s fifth of the season.

Julian Talbot’s power play goal at 14:14 put Lake Erie up 2-1. From the right doorstep, Talbot tapped in a one-timer for his fifth goal of the season. Ben Walter and Travis Gawryletz picked up assists.

The first period ended with a 2-1 Lake Erie lead, while both teams recorded nine shots in the frame.

The second period was scoreless until the 15:49 mark. From the top of the left circle, Toronto’s Marcel Mueller buried a one-timer off Dale Mitchell’s pass to tie the game at 2-2. Justin Hodgman also assisted.

Before the period expired, the Marlies grabbed their first lead of the game when Mueller struck again at 18:23. Mueller’s second of the night was assisted by Simon Gysbers and Mitchell, giving Toronto a 3-2 lead at the end of the second period.

Toronto pushed its lead to 4-2 early in the second period. Gysbers took a pass from Alex Foster and backhanded a shot into the right side of the net at the 2:53 mark.

Mueller finished a hat trick with a power play goal at 4:27 of the third period, putting the Marlies up 5-2. On the goal, Hodgman and Gysbers both notched their second assists of the night.

Following Toronto’s fifth goal, Lake Erie’s Trevor Cann entered the game in relief of Jason Bacashihua.

At 8:27 of the period, Talbot scored his second of the game off assists from Ryan Stoa and Walter, making the score 5-3. Talbot’s goal marked his first two-goal outing of the campaign and his fifth multi-point game of the season. With two helpers, Walter recorded his second two-assist night of the season and his fourth multi-point game.

The Marlies were quick to regain their three-goal margin as Korbinian Holzer notched an unassisted tally at the 10:00 mark.

Luke Walker brought the Monsters back to within two, scoring his fourth of the season at 13:39 to make the score 6-4. Ryan Lannon assisted for his first point of the season as a Monster.

With Cann pulled in favor of an extra attacker, the Marlies finalized a 7-4 score sheet with Foster’s empty-net, power play tally at 17:44. Boyce assisted for his second helper of the evening.

Bacashihua made 15 saves in his second consecutive start for Lake Erie, while Cann posted five in relief.

James Reimer went 23-for-27 in net for the visiting Marlies.

Toronto’s seven goals in the game marks a season high for goals scored against the Monsters this season, while the 11 combined goals tied a season high.

The Monsters will host the Houston Aeros for a 3:00 p.m. matinee on Sunday.

Three Stars: 1. TOR Mueller (3 goals); 2. TOR Gysbers (1 goal, 2 assists); 3. LE Talbot (2 goals)

David Quinn Postgame Interview	Patrick Rissmiller Postgame Interview
Jason Bacashihua Postgame Interview