TORONTO - Joe Colborne scored the winner in the third period Wednesday to lift the Toronto Marlies to a 2-1 victory over the Lake Erie Monsters in the American Hockey League.
Colborne one-timed a shot from the slot past Monsters goalie Calvin Pickard at 7:54 of the final frame, just 33 seconds after Lake Erie had tied the game.
Mike Zigomanis also scored for Toronto, and set up Colborne's game-winner with a nice pass from behind the Monsters' net, in front of 7,144 fans at Ricoh Coliseum.
It was the second win a row for the Marlies, who improved to 32-20-6 and maintained their hold on first place in the North Division.
Toronto goalie Drew MacIntyre made 23 saves for the win. His best stop came late in the second period when he robbed Lake Erie centre Mike Sgarbossa, who had just stepped out of the penalty box, with a sparkling glove save. The 29-year-old netminder, who signed an AHL contract with the Marlies two weeks ago, has won four of his past five starts and is 5-2-1 overall.
Geoff Walker replied for the Monsters (27-26-9), who have lost three straight games -- and seven of their past nine -- to drop out of a playoff position in the West. Pickard blocked 28-of-30 shots in a losing effort.
