Marlies 1 win away from becoming Calder Cup champions

The Toronto Marlies are one victory away from claiming their first Calder Cup.

Defenceman Calle Rosen scored twice as part of a three-goal second period and Andreas Johnsson had a goal and two assists as Toronto beat the Texas Stars 6-2 on Saturday in Game 5 of the American Hockey League championship series.

Trevor Moore, Colin Greening and Carl Grundstrom also scored for the Marlies, who can win the Calder Cup at home on Tuesday. Garret Sparks made 23 saves for the win.

Johnsson's three-point effort gives him the AHL playoff scoring lead with 20 points in 14 games.

Gavin Bayreuther and Sheldon Dries scored for the Stars. Mike McKenna gave up five goals on 22 shots and was replaced by Landon Bow at the start of the third period. Bow made six saves in relief.

Toronto came out fast and found itself ahead 2-0 less than three minutes into the game.

Johnsson opened the scoring on a breakaway with his team-leading eighth post-season goal at 1:32, and it took only 47 seconds for Moore to double the lead when he put back a rebound in front of McKenna.

Bayreuther put some energy into the home crowd at HEB Center when he beat Sparks 4:06 into the second, but Greening and Rosen responded with goals 1:07 apart to make it 4-1 at the 8:45 mark.

Rosen added is second of the game at 17:07 for a four-goal advantage after 40 minutes.

Grundstrom and Dries traded goals 15 seconds apart midway through the third with the game out of reach. Texas thought it added a third goal late in the period, but it was called off because of a high stick.

Game 7, if needed, would be Thursday at Ricoh Coliseum as the best-of-seven series follows a 2-3-2 format.