Easton Cowan scored with 12 seconds left to lift the Toronto Marlies to a 3-2 win over the Cleveland Monsters in the decisive Game 5 of the AHL Eastern Conference semifinals, sending Toronto to the East final against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
With the season dangling by a thread, the Toronto Marlies waited for one last chance—and Easton Cowan made sure it arrived.
Cowan shoved home a rebound with 12 seconds left to give Toronto a 3-2 win in the decisive Game 5 of the AHL Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cleveland Monsters. The goal followed a sequence that began with Monsters goalie Zach Sawchenko stopping a slot attempt from Marlies forward Vinni Lettieri. From there. Cowan pounced on the rebound near the side of the net and finished it before the crowd had time to fully settle into silence.
Logan Shaw had earlier kept Toronto level, scoring to make it 2-2 with under five minutes remaining. His strike was his sixth goal of the playoffs.
Marlies goalie Artur Akhtyamov was the steady presence that kept the game within reach, making 22 saves as the Marlies closed the series. The win means Toronto will move on to face the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the East final, with the seven-game series set to begin Wednesday.
For head coach John Gruden, the turning point wasn’t only the final goal—it was everything that came before it. After the match, he pointed to how the group handled itself when pressure tightened.
“It’s such a credit to our guys. the way they handled themselves on the bench and the way they handle themselves when our backs are against the wall. ” Gruden said. “I said it to them between periods. ‘We bet on you guys with our backs against the wall. ’ and they perform. Man, how exciting was that?. So, that was pretty special.”.
The timing of Toronto’s advance adds extra weight. It’s the first time the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate has reached the East final since 2019, when it lost to the eventual champion Charlotte Checkers.
In the other conference, the West final will feature the Colorado Eagles and the Chicago Wolves.
Shaw captured the mood in the dressing room as the Marlies finally pushed the series to its end. “We just have a lot of positivity and a lot of guys in that room who are willing to do everything to win. It took us 59 minutes and 50 seconds to get that one done but it felt good,” he said.
Cowan, 21, has been a steady playoff producer for Toronto despite the series pressure. He has four goals and four assists in 13 AHL playoff games. This season, he also played 66 games with the Maple Leafs.
For now, the Marlies can let the celebration breathe. On Wednesday, they’ll have to do it all over again—this time against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, with the East final on the line.
AHL Toronto Marlies Cleveland Monsters Easton Cowan Logan Shaw Artur Akhtyamov John Gruden Vinni Lettieri Zach Sawchenko AHL playoffs Eastern Conference semifinals