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Rookie center Semyon Der-Arguchintsev scored with 1.3 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Toronto Marlies a 2-1 victory Sunday afternoon at Allstate Arena.
Forward Maxim Letunov scored for the Wolves (7-3-1-0) while goaltender Eeti Makiniemi posted 25 saves, which included multiple spectacular stops on breakaways.
“I thought we worked harder,” said Wolves head coach Ryan Warsofsky. “Some things we need to clean up. (Toronto) is a good team. They have a lot of skill. They can skate. But I thought our response was good, even though we didn’t get the two points.
The Wolves took the lead at 17:05 of the first on Letunov’s third goal of the season. Moments after Makiniemi rejected a Toronto breakaway, Jamieson Rees collected the puck in the neutral zone, slalomed between defenders and fired on goaltender Michael Hutchinson. Letunov collected the rebound just below the goal line and banked it off Hutchinson’s skate into the net for the power-play goal.
A Toronto skate figured prominently in the Marlies’ equalizer at 4:25 of the second. Bobby McMann carried the puck behind the Wolves zone and spied 6-foot-8 center Curtis Douglas planted in the crease. McMann fired a pass that banked off Douglas’ right skate into the net to make it 1-1.
The Wolves dominated puck possession during their first overtime of the season, but the Marlies (7-4-0-0) gained steam in the last minute. Makiniemi stopped a breakaway, but Der-Arguchintsev eventually claimed a pass in the neutral zone. He swooped into the high slot between two defenders and wristed it home for the winner.
Makiniemi’s record moved to 5-1-1 while Hutchinson (1-1-0) stopped 37 shots for the win.
The Wolves travel to Grand Rapids on Wednesday and Rockford on Friday before hosting the IceHogs at 7 p.m. Saturday. For the best seats to the Red Kettle Game presented by the Salvation Army, contact a Wolves ticket representative here or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
