SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Toronto Marlies are heading to the American Hockey League Eastern Conference final for the second time in three seasons.
Garret Sparks made 21 saves as Toronto beat Syracuse 2-1 on Tuesday to sweep the Crunch in their second-round matchup.
Sparks and Calvin Pickard combined to allow just seven goals against in the four-game sweep, with four of those coming in Game 1’s 6-4 victory.
Dmytro Timashov and Andreas Johnsson had first-period goals for the Marlies, who bowed out of the 2016 conference final against the Hershey Bears.
Reid McNeill responded at 10:29 of the third period for the Crunch, who got 21 saves from Connor Ingram.
Toronto went 2 for 5 on the power play while Syracuse failed to score on two chances with the man advantage.
Crunch winger Alex Gallant was handed a major and game misconduct for elbowing midway through the first that led to Johnsson’s power-play goal to make it 2-0.
Johnsson has three goals and eight points in five AHL playoff games since being loaned to the Marlies after the Maple Leafs were eliminated from the NHL post-season.
The Marlies will face the winner of the Lehigh Valley-Charlotte series.
Syracuse eliminated Toronto from last year’s post-season in the second round, taking the series in seven games.
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