After putting the finishing touches on a shocking sweep of the powerhouse Syracuse Crunch, the Marlies enter the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in three years, where they’ll tussle with the LeHigh Valley Phantoms.
Normally, the third round is far from unchartered waters for a team this accustomed to their season carrying into the summer. Over the past four years, the Marlies have logged a total of 40 playoff games, averaging 10 extra contests per season.
Only, this time around is different.
In fact, there happens to be one distinct factor setting this particular third round title fight apart from the previous two.