Marlies keep Aeros down 6-4

It sure seems the Marlies have a jinxed the Aeros -  as they tend not to win games! ;-) 

Despite efforts by  Fontaine, Rau (photo below) Zucker and Coyle.

A happy Rau lifts stick in celebrations of his goal in the 1.

Puck on Hackett's Back Photo 1

That's Bagnall glove sweeping  puck away - Photo 2

Now, IMO, Hackett had some great saves tonight, one. seemingly only with the help of Bagnal, as can be seen here in this set of  2 pics (by artandhockey),  :-D;  but he really could not rely too much on most Aeros defenders. Plus the Marlies skated faster, shot more accurately, and kept coming, especially in the third period.

Marlies get a goal first. After Fontaine evens the score, Rau puts a second one into the net.
All in the 1.
And then in period 2, Zucker (how sweet) and later Coyle put Aeros up to 4.

And that was - really - the end.

Marlies came back after the second intermission with grit and determination to win the game against the Aeros, again, as they have done in the past (I believe the last 4 games were indeed won by the  Marlies). And slammed the next one in ... Hackett had NO chance, really!
Plus the lowering effect of an empty netter!

Scrivens in goal for the visitors stopped 24 of 28SOGs. Hackett's numbers were 29 of 34, the last goal was an empty netter by Marlies. Out of 6 PP Marlies translated 1 into a goal in the 3. While Aeros had 4 opportunities, one even a 3-5, and did not convert any.

Not quite sure what happened tonight. The guys seemed disorganized, defense seemed lacking, passing pucks  more often than not to a Marlies' stick. Several start up fights were strongly kept in rein,  before erupting into a full blown affair, by the officials.

I know the team lost, and usually it does not bother too much, as long as they have played well and up to their potential.

Nr. 22 does figureskate well, doesn't he?  What graceful balletic line, eh?

But tonight this simply was not the case. There was no game!

There was some falling about by both teams, and some lovely figure skating like this photo right shows...by Aeros Nr. 22 :-D. 

Scrivens wrote the end methinks (pun intended) but not without the dedicated skating of his team, their determination to come out ahead.
After he had his laces (??) adjusted he stopped all other attempts to score by the by now haplessly scurrying about Aeros
(could that have been the reason... those new laces)  :-D ?

Last Marlies' Goal...puck just barely in right corner of net

And above the last Marlies goal before the empty netter.

Celebration in BLUE!

The 3 stars of the game: 1 and 2 went to the As of the Marlies: Ashton and Aucoin..
while Coyle Nr. 3 of the Aeros received the Nr. 3.

Oh, one other thing I've noticed.... some 'unintended' pairings  ;- D  
 such as Marlies 14 versus Aeros 14 in collision mode for instance.
And, the guys (Aeros) seemed a bit more aggressive than in the last games I attended.
Although the Marlies did not fall too far behind in the aggression department, they seemed to skate smarter.