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Easton Cowan takes responsibility for costly turnover on Penguins game-winning goal during Marlies’ Game 4 loss
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Photo credit: Steven Ellis/The Nation Network
Michael Coyle
Jun 4, 2026, 10:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 4, 2026, 09:41 EDT
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The American Hockey League’s Eastern Conference Final is knotted up at two games apiece. 
The Toronto Marlies fell 4-3 in Game 4 to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Wednesday night, meaning the Marlies will have to travel back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for a Game 6 on Sunday night. 
Easton Cowan returned to the Marlies’ lineup after missing the previous two games due to what head coach John Gruden referred to as an upper-body thing. Cowan made his impact felt right away, picking up the primary assist on Vinni Lettieri’s eighth goal of the playoffs, which extended the Marlies’ lead to 2-0. 
The assist was Cowan’s fifth of the playoffs and raised his postseason point total to 10 points over 15 games played. The 21-year-old is tied for fifth most points among all Marlies during this playoff run, but following the contest Cowan was critical of how he felt he played during Wednesday’s loss. 
“I was okay. I know I got more, and I’ll bring it Friday,” Cowan said. 
Much of the frustration stems from a play Cowan made which led to Rutger McGroarty’s game-winning goal with 2:59 remaining in the third period. Cowan received a breakout pass along the half-wall from defenceman Dakota Mermis. Cowan tried to force a feed into the middle towards defenceman William Villeneuve, but the pass was picked off by McGroarty, who wound up streaking in alone and beating Artur Akhtyamov five-hole for a lead the Penguins wouldn’t relinquish. 
“I got to be better. It starts with me. I just cost my team the game so I got to be better, and I will be on Friday,” Cowan said. “Unfortunately, I cost my team the game, and obviously you don’t want to do that. I got to make a better play, so I can’t do anything about it now; I got to move on, be better, and I will be.”
After jumping out to a 2-0 series lead, the Marlies have faltered over the past two games at home. Much of the damage to the Marlies in the past two contests have been self-inflicted, leaving Gruden confident that his team can rebound and get back on track for the remaining contests. 
“Our guys do a lot of good; it’s just we have to eliminate the catastrophic, and if we do that, we’ll take this series back over,” Gruden said. “I think they know that. I don’t sit there and need to tell them all the time, but it’s playoff hockey, and we have to understand turning the puck over isn’t going to work against a team that good.” 
Game 5 of the series is on Friday, June 5 at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. EST. 
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