The Toronto Marlies’ warmup ahead of their game against the Laval Rocket last Saturday was coming to a close when goalies Garret Sparks and Calvin Pickard left their net behind to do some drills together.



They feathered saucer passes back and forth to each other. They redirected each other’s shots into the empty net. Then they threw their hands in the air and bounced back and forth to exchange high-fives.



Fifteen minutes before the second game of a back-to-back, this isn’t a typical goalie scene.



But Sparks and Pickard are not your typical goalie tandem. The pair make up the best partnership in the AHL and each has posted career numbers this season, both sitting in the league’s top-five in save percentage. With every goalie looking to earn the starter role, it can be easy for partners to develop an adversarial relationship. Given the record-setting season Sparks is on pace to have, it would be easier still for him to demand the net...