The Toronto Marlies are following in the footsteps of The Toronto Maple Leafs and are finding some unexpected success of their own this season.

The Leafs' AHL affiliate (14-3-1) is having an impressive season so far, sitting atop their North Division, second overall in the Eastern Conference, and have gone 9-1-1-0 over their last 11 games, including a 6-4 win Sunday over the last-place Binghamton Senators.

While the Marlies' all-around game has been solid, there are a few key things to point out that are helping contribute to their ongoing success.

THE DYNAMIC DUO

The Toronto Marlies have two solid goaltenders in Antoine Bibeau and Garret Sparks. Bibeau was seen as the first-choice goalie coming into the season but after he was called-up in November to back-up Reimer, Sparks stepped in and took advantage of the opportunity.

While Bibeau did get the start against Binghamton Sunday, Sparks ranks third among goaltenders in the AHL with a 1.90 goals against average, .938 save percentage and two shutouts to go along with his eight wins in 11 starts.

It was the 22-year-old's first game off since replacing Bibeau.

Sparks got the win in the 9-8 overtime comeback over the St. John’s IceCaps back on November 14th. Toronto was down 8-4 in the third before Sparks stepped in and William Nylander and Josh Leivo began the late-game rally. That onslaught from the IceCaps make Bibeau’s stats a bit misleading. Bibeau has a 3.14 goals against average with a .880 save percentage but after Sunday’s win against the Senators he has six wins and only one loss on the season.

Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe recognizes the security two competent goaltenders brings.

“You want to have that, especially in this league,” said Keefe after the win over the Senators. “The schedule is always condensed, games come at you in clusters and you need to be able to use two guys.

"Sparks has played extremely well so its easy to want to go with him but at the same time, Bibeau’s has had a difficult month in terms of finding his way into the net, a great experience obviously being with the Leafs but he was in a bit of a groove and lost that so we want to make sure we find ways to get him in too. But both guys have played well, and given us chances to win.”

SPECIAL TEAMS

Coming into the game against the Senators, the Marlies ranked fourth in the league on the penalty kill, averaging 89.7%. They did give up a power-play goal to Binghampton midway through the third, but giving up a shorthanded goal has become a rarity this season for Toronto, something that Keefe credits to the group as a whole.

“I think it’s a combination of everything. We’ve talked about the strong goaltending we’ve got and that’s a huge part of it but the forwards and defence, the guys we’ve called upon have done a really good job,” said the coach. “Gauthier, Soshnikov, Hyman, Carrick, Clune. Those are really the core penalty killers up front. Gord Dineen has led the charge there with that group and that’s certainly been a bright spot for our team and we’ve got to continue.”

WILLIAM NYLANDER

What more can be said about the dynamic 19-year-old that hasn't already been said? The centreman currently leads the AHL in scoring with 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points in 17 games for the Marlies, who are an offensive force this season with a league-leading 74 goals. The first-round draft pick is on a 10-game point streak -- he had a goal and an assist in the win against Binghamton -- and shows no sign of slowing down any time soon.

Next up for the Marlies is a road game Friday night against the Syracuse Crunch before heading back home to face the St. John’s IceCaps Saturday and Sunday to cap off a three-games-in-three-days stretch.

@_JessPatton