Ben Ondrus scores eventual winner as Toronto defeats Lake Erie 2-1

TORONTO - Forward Ben Ondrus scored the eventual winner to lead the Toronto Marlies to a 2-1 win over the Lake Erie Monsters in American Hockey League action Wednesday.

The Marlies (12-2-0-2), who earned at least a point through their first 13 games of the season, had suffered two straight regulation losses entering the contest, including one to Lake Erie (4-10-0-2) last Saturday in Cleveland.

All the scoring came in the game's first two periods as Toronto protected goalie Justin Pogge well in the final frame, allowing the Monsters just two shots over the final 20 minutes.

After nearly 30 minutes of scoreless hockey, Toronto's Darryl Boyce set up shop behind the Lake Erie net and hit a streaking Jeremy Williams with a perfect pass, which Williams deposited behind Lake Erie stopper Jason Bacashihua to get the Marlies on the board.

Ondrus then put the Marlies up 2-0 on a short-handed breakaway. The Marlies captain found a way to fight off Monsters defenceman Stephen Margeson, whose constant stick-tugging on Ondrus from behind prompted a delayed penalty, and slid the puck along the ice to Bacashihua's stick side and into the net.

The two-goal lead didn't even last a minute as Lake Erie struck while Toronto's Jay Harrison was still in the box. Standing at the side of the net, the Monsters' Chris Stewart whacked a puck out of mid air and into the net.

NOTES: 20-year-old defenceman Phil Oreskovic, who played three games with the Marlies last year, was called up from the ECHL for his first AHL action of this season. . . . After being a healthy scratch for two games, Simon Gamache was back in Toronto's lineup. . . . The Marlies outshot Lake Erie 27-17.