The first three editions of this series have focussed on players in recent history that would be familiar to most readers and fans of the Toronto organization.

So for the fourth instalment, I’m taking you back in time. Way back in fact, to the first game in Toronto Marlies history to feature the player who scored the first goal for the franchise.

So let’s time-travel back to Friday, October 7, 2005, using any method you like including a DeLorean or slingshotting around the sun using a starship.

Toronto visited Rochester for their inaugural game and found themselves down 1-0 after a goal from Greg Jacina with 9:30 put the Amerks ahead.

It took just 49 seconds for the Marlies to respond as Colin Murphy etched his name in franchise history with the tying goal and Jay Harrison was credited with an assist.

It was quite a memorable game as it happens, with Murphy getting a second goal to make it 2-2 in what turned out to be an 8-5 loss as Toronto blew a 3-2 lead on the back of a power-play master class by Rochester.

In a game featuring 166 penalty minutes including three fights and several game misconducts, Rochester struck four times on nine power plays whilst Toronto mustered no goals with the man advantage on the same amount of opportunities.

Other names that might be familiar in the line-up that evening are Carlo Colaiacovo, Bates Battaglia, Kris Newbury, Jeremy Williams and Johnny Pohl.

Game Centre: https://theahl.com/stats/game-center/1001038

So just how did Colin Murphy end up with Toronto and scoring that momentous goal?

The Alberta native played collegiate hockey for Michigan Tech and was consistently a point-per-game or better producer during his college career and was a finalist for the 2005 Hobey Baker Award.

He impressed the Toronto Maple Leafs enough that the NHL club signed him to a contract offer as a free agent out of college for the remainder of the 2004-05 season.

Toronto’s affiliate was still in St. John’s at that point and Murphy continued to make a strong impression out on the east coast.
Eight points (1-7-8) in twelve regular-season games were followed by a further four points (1-3-4) in five playoff outings.

The Undrafted forward had himself a solid first season, finishing tenth in Marlies team scoring with 34 points in 53 games including sixteen goals and was Toronto’s leading rookie scorer

Murphy hit the twenty goal mark in his sophomore season with the Marlies and finished second in team scoring with 56 points in a disappointing campaign for Toronto’s affiliate who missed out on the playoffs.

A decline in production during his third season (38 points in 68 games) led to Murphy and Toronto parting ways in the summer with the forward never having a sniff of the NHL during his time with the organization.

On August 4, 2008, Murphy was signed by the Buffalo Sabres as an unrestricted free agent but would not see any time in the NHL.
Assigned to the Portland Pirates for the entirety of the 2008-09 campaign, the left-winger compiled thirty points (13-17-30) in fifty games before opting to head overseas the following summer.

The Canadian forward signed a one-year contract with the German team, Augsburger Panther on May 11, 2009, and would have a successful first stint overseas finishing second in team scoring with 57 points.
The Panthers also enjoyed a fruitful playoff run which fell just short with the left-handed shot producing eleven points in fourteen games.

Murphy would sign with another DEL team in the summer of 2010 and remain with Hamburg Freezers for three seasons before retiring from hockey.
Though Hamburg didn’t enjoy much in the way of success during his time with the club, Murphy did his best to contribute offensively through 101 outings as he registered thirty goals and forty-two assists for 72 points.

The Fort McMurray native hasn’t taken on another full-time professional hockey job since retiring from playing and I believe is now back home with his family.

Colin Murphy played 256 career games in the AHL between 2005 and 2009 with the Maple Leafs, Marlies, and the Portland Pirates, scoring 61 goals and 166 points.