TORONTO – William Nylander's favourite playoff moment growing up was watching Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin go head to head in a second-round showdown in 2009. In particular, Nylander remembers Game 2 of that series when the two superstars both posted hat-tricks.

"That was a sick game," Nylander said with a smile.

Connor Brown's favourite playoff memory is more personal. It came in the second round of last year's OHL playoffs when his Erie Otters swept the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds winning Game 4 in overtime.  

"That feeling," Brown said, "you never forget things like that and you keep that in the back of your head."

Nylander and Brown will look to create some more magical playoff moments starting Saturday at Ricoh Coliseum when the Toronto Marlies open up a first round American Hockey League series against the Grand Rapids Griffins. It will be Nylander's first taste of playoff hockey in North America. It will be Brown's first ever playoff game as a professional. The two players are among the top Maple Leafs prospects and possible building blocks as Brendan Shanahan reshapes the woebegone franchise.

"In the OHL you get to the playoffs and it's like a different league and I expect it to be a completely different animal come this weekend," Brown said following Marlies practice on Friday.

Nylander, who will turn 19 on May 1, has been a key part of Toronto's playoff push picking up 15 points over the last 11 games of the regular season. Brown, 21, has also played a leading role ending the season as the AHL's rookie scoring leader with 61 points.

Nylander and Brown helped the Marlies overcome a terrible start this season. At one point the team lost nine straight games to fall to last place in the North Division with a 5-12-1 record. But the Marlies surged in the second half of the season finishing 40-27-9 overall and sneaking into the playoffs as the Western Conference's seventh seed. They hope this is just the start of a great comeback story.

PLAYOFF PEDIGREE

Nylander is the son of Michael Nylander, who played 47 NHL playoff games during a 15-season career in North America.

"I grew up around NHL rinks," said Nylander, who was born in Calgary when his dad played with the Flames. "A lot of the playoff memories I have are from him. It brings back good feelings."

What stood out the most?

"Just the energy and the crowd at the games. Everything means so much."

Nylander joined the Marlies midway through the season suiting up for the first time on January 23 following a star turn with Team Sweden at the World Junior Hockey Championship. He had begun the season with MODO in the Swedish Hockey League picking up 20 points in 21 games.

Nylander started off slowly with the Marlies as he adapted to the smaller ice surface and more physical North American game. He had just one goal and one assist in his first six games. But with each passing game he seemed more self-assured showing the talent that made him the eighth overall pick in last June's draft.  

"Every part of my game I tried to improve," Nylander said on Friday. "The biggest difference was just the way the game is played over here. I'm accustomed to it a little bit more now so I'm learning and learning every day. The space closes down quicker and that takes time getting used to."

"Just his confidence," said Marlies head coach Gord Dineen when asked where Nylander has grown the most. "As time has gone on that confidence has grown as he realizes he is able to play against older guys and not just players that he's familiar with back home in Sweden."

Nylander finished the regular season with 14 goals and 32 points in 37 games.

"I feel like any time I go on the ice with Willy he's getting better," said Brown. "The last 10 games of the season he was dynamite, our best player."

PROVING PEOPLE WRONG

As for Brown, well, his emergence has been even more notable, because not even his coach believed it was possible. For one, playing against men in a professional league for the first time should have been a difficult adjustment for an undersized player like Brown, who stands just 5-foot-11, 170 pounds.  

Brown did lead the OHL in scoring last season (128 points in 68 games), but some suggested that success was due in large part to his spot playing alongside Connor McDavid. This year, Brown proved the story wasn't that simple.

"He's got such an inner drive to excel," said Dineen. "He's a guy who has proven people wrong and proven me wrong on an expectation basis. I did not expect Connor to have the type of year that he's had. He's been a guy, who every day of his life he's had to prove himself. He's doing it now."

Brown was relentless this season showing the consistency usually displayed by a veteran. His longest point drought was only four games and it only happened once. He posted 11 multi-point games.

"For me, to be honest with you, it's kind of just who I am," Brown explained. "I work hard and drive to play better. I want to play in the NHL. I've been second guessed in my career, for sure, a late rounder in both the OHL (13th round in 2010) and NHL draft (sixth round in 2012), but for me I'm just focused on getting better. It wasn't about proving people wrong, it was about getting better."

Brown and Nylander will look to continue their development in the AHL playoffs. In the post-season time and space is less available so this is another another chance for them to measure themselves and see just how close they truly are to making a difference in the NHL.

"This has been what we've been looking forward to all year. We made a great push to get here," said Nylander. "Now we're finally here so we just got to empty the tanks and see how far we can go."