These two teams have met twice before at this stage of the postseason, although it was a little bit in the distant past as Toronto swept Rochester (3-0) back in 2012 and 2013.
The Toronto Marlies begin this playoff campaign as huge underdogs after losing the majority of last season’s championship team and enduring much adversity through the regular season, including a plethora of injuries and losing goaltending plus offensive talent to the Leafs and elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the Rochester Americans have prospered under head coach Chris Taylor, piling up 99 points with a 46-23-7 record, good for fourth best (points percentage) in the AHL with a +36 goal differential.