Luca Pinelli scored his first two professional goals, including the game-winner at 9:42 of overtime, as Cleveland defeated Toronto, 4-3, in Game 1 of their North Division first-round series at Rocket Arena on Thursday night.
The best-of-three series now heads to Toronto for Game 2 on Saturday afternoon and Game 3, if necessary, on Sunday.
On the winning goal, Madison Bowey’s shot from the right point went wide, caromed off the end boards and went straight to Pinelli, who was alone to the right of Marlies goaltender Dennis Hildeby for the easy conversion.
Denton Mateychuk, in his return to the Monsters lineup after spending the last four months of the season with Columbus in the NHL, had a goal and an assist. Jet Greaves, who also finished the regular season with the Blue Jackets, made 25 saves to improve to 15-0-0 in his career against the Marlies.
Alex Steeves scored twice in the final 3:11 of regulation as Toronto rallied from 3-1 down to force overtime.
A crowd of 8,984 was on hand in Cleveland, where the Monsters led the AHL in attendance for the fifth time in the last six years in 2024-25.
(Cleveland leads series, 1-0)
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 24 – CLEVELAND 4, Toronto 3 (OT)
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 26 – Cleveland at Toronto, 4:00
*Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 27 – Cleveland at Toronto, 4:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
