Marlies are undefeated since Gysbers' arrival

TORONTO – Lake Superior State senior defenseman Simon Gysbers has four professional games under his belt, including two last weekend in front of family and friends from the Toronto area.

“I played, and we won both games,” said Gysbers following his first two games with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, which were on the road. He then played home games Friday against Hamilton and Saturday against Abbotsford. 

“It was everything I hoped it would be, and more. I felt comfortable right away. I expected it to take time to get my feet wet, but I fit right in.”

Toronto (29-30-6) is enjoying a four-game win streak since Gysbers’ arrival. The Marlies beat Hamilton 4-3 in a shootout and edged Abbotsford 2-1 in overtime. The Marlies have about a dozen games remaining, including a contest Wednesday at Hamilton, but aren’t in the playoff picture. Gysbers, a 6-4, 200-pound defenseman from Richmond Hill, Ont., is getting professional experience before his two-year contract starts next fall. He is relieved to be able to focus his summer on training.

“I knew it would be faster, and it was,” Gysbers said. “The guys are bigger and stronger. It took the first game for me to get used to the pace. During the second game I felt a little more at home.”

Gysbers said he was paired with a second or third-year defenseman during his first two games. He was expecting to practice with another new arrival last week.