Heading into Wednesday's game in Toronto, both goaltender Tyler Weiman and the Monsters had won all four games they had played against the Marlies so far this season.  It would take three regulation periods, overtime, a shootout, plus two additional shooters, before Lake Erie would give up their first loss to Toronto.  The Monsters fell, 5-4, in a shootout to the Marlies on Wednesday. 

The game began four straight on the road for Lake Erie.  After playing 12 of their last 14 at home, the Monsters will spend seven of their next eight on the road.

The teams kept pace with each other through the first period, as neither was able to find the back of the net.  Toronto managed 10 shots, compared to just six for the visiting Monsters.

It would be almost midway through the second period before the scoreboard would finally register a goal. The Monsters lit the lamp first on a Codey Burki goal at the 9:24 mark of the middle frame, assisted by Chris Mueller. 

Toronto responded seven minutes later on a power play.  Ben Ondrus evened the score with his goal at 16:29, helped by Bates Battaglia and Jiri Tlusty.  

A minute later, the Marlies struck again, this time with the stick of Stefano Giliati.  Brent Aubin and Juha Uotila assisted.

Lake Erie tied it up two minutes later when Chris Durno converted on a power play,  He was assisted by Phil Dupuis and Marty Sertich.

The second period ended with the score knotted, 2-2.

The Monsters continued their success on the man advantage, as Kyle Cumiskey scored on the power play at 4:22 of the third period.  Durno and Sertich were given the assists on the goal.

Toronto tied the score yet again at the 9:00 point of the final frame with Battaglia's goal.  Tim Stapleton and Tlusty were credited with the assists.

As the close of the third period was approaching, it appeared as if the game would go into overtime.  And it would, just not without both teams scoring again first. 

The combination of Battaglia, Stapleton and Tlusty connected again to score the go-ahead goal for the Marlies at 18:49. 

Lake Erie head coach Joe Sacco called a timeout at 18:55, and at 19:02, Durno scored his second of the game, tying the score again.  Sertich and Dupuis assisted again.  Time would run out with the score at 3-3.

Durno has now scored six points (3G, 3A) in the last four games, and leads the Monsters with 19 points (8G, 11A) so far this season.  Sertich has recorded six assists in the past four games for the Monsters, and leads the team with nine on the year. It was the second multi-point game of the season for Dupuis, who missed the last three Lake Erie games while up with the Colorado Avalanche.

Overtime came and went without a score from either team.  Toronto managed two shots during the extra session, while Lake Erie did not put any shots on net.

Toronto started the shootout, and scored immediately, thanks to Stapleton. Dupuis missed for the Monsters, followed by Tlusty converting for the Marlies.  Sertich found the back of the net on his attempt. Toronto missed their next three attempts, and thanks to T.J. Galiardi scoring on Lake Erie's fourth attempt, the shootout ended, 2-2. 

Stapleton scored again on Toronto's sixth try, followed by Sertich converting again.  Tlusty scored for the Marlies and earned Toronto the 5-4 win after Galiardi missed his shot.  It was the Monsters third shootout loss of the season.

Weiman had 26 saves on 30 shots for Lake Erie.  Marlies netminder Justin Pogge posted 19 saves on the 23 shots he faced on the night.

Lake Erie returns to action in Rochester on Friday.