Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe said his team went through “championship moments” during its long run through the American Hockey League post-season.

Responding after giving up a goal. Pinching in at the right time. Managing to shift momentum when needed.

The Marlies delivered again when it mattered most Thursday night, giving them a championship moment they’ll never forget.

Raising the Calder Cup.

Toronto defeated the Texas Stars 6-1 in the decisive seventh game of the AHL final to the delight of the towel-waving sellout crowd at Ricoh Coliseum.

“We seemed like we had all those answers,” Keefe said. “That just showed how resilient we were as a team and how competitive we are.

“And just the fact that we weren’t going to be denied.”

Sparks was back in net for the Marlies after being pulled early in the third period on Tuesday and turned in the bounceback performance that was required.

“I felt a personal responsibility to step up and I thought I did that,” Sparks said.

Playoff MVP Andreas Johnsson scored two goals and added an assist to pad his league-leading post-season total to 24 points. Mason Marchment scored twice while Carl Grundstrom and Ben Smith added singles.

Austin Fyten scored the lone goal for the Stars, ending Garret Sparks’ shutout bid midway through the third period. Toronto outshot Texas 46-30.

The victory capped a dream campaign for the top development team of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs.

Former Maple Leafs Captain, Doug Gilmour took time to bask in the glory of a Toronto championship on Instagram.


It’s the first championship for the franchise since it moved to Toronto from St. John’s for the 2005-06 season. The last Toronto AHL affiliate to win the Calder Cup was the New Brunswick Hawks in 1982.

The Game-7 win gave Toronto its first championship in 51 years.

 

Filed under: ahl, calder-cup, championship, Maple Leafs, marlies, toronto