The IceCaps hosted the Toronto Marlies on Saturday night in the first game of a back-to-back series. Coming off four straight home losses, the IceCaps, bolstered by the return of Sven Andrighetto and Daniel Carr from Montreal, plus Nikita Scherbak and Ryan Johnston from injury, looked to end their disastrous start to 2016.

But Saturday's game didn't get off to the best of starts. Marlies forward Brendan Leipsic opened the scoring on the first shot of the game. Ten minutes later, Ryan Rupert added to Toronto's lead, putting the visitors up two early.

That two-goal lead would be short lived. Bud Holloway pulled one back for the home team, after a huge hit by Michael McCarron turned the puck over. Carr picked it up and made a great pass to Holloway, who put it home with a one-timer. 48 seconds later, Charles Hudon came busting down the wing, firing a shot low glove side on Antoine Bibeau, tying the game at two.

The back-and-forth offence would continue, as the Marlies scored two more. Nikita Soshnikov and Leipsic chased IceCaps goaltender Eddie Pasquale before the end of the first, sending Toronto into the break with a 4-2 lead.

Leipsic completed his hat trick late in the second, which would be the only scoring of the period. Zachary Fucale was sharp when called upon, keeping the Marlies lead to just three in a game where it could have been a lot more.

Four minutes into the third, Brett Findlay scored his first of the season for the Marlies, putting the game out of reach. Carr scored again shortly thereafter, his ninth of the season, but that was as close as the comeback would come.

Goaltenders

TOR: Antoine Bibeau - 33 saves

STJ: Eddie Pasquale - 4 saves, Zachary Fucale 11 saves

Three Stars

1. Brendan Leipsic

2. TJ Brennan

3. Daniel Carr

Highlights