KALAMAZOO , Mich. – In a one-sided game filled with drama from end-to-end, the Toledo Walleye (4-5-1-1) shattered an early season slump while pushing the defending North Division champions into a downward spiral of their own. The Kalamazoo Wings (5-4-1-1) allowed a season-high eight goals and extended their losing streak to three games, dropping to the third place in the North Division. Toledo entered the game having scored only 19 goals through the first ten games of the season, but scored three within the half of the opening period. Eleven players hit the score sheet and rookie goalie Scott Campbell earned his first professional shutout. Campbell gives a lot of credit to his team, but did not let his mind worry as Kalamazoo made an offensive push in the final minutes. “I saw all the shots tonight and they cleared out all the rebounds for me,” Campbell said. “If I would have given up one, it wouldn’t have been the end of the world. But it is nice to get [a shutout].” Campbell joined the Walleye after spending one season with the Wichita Thunder in the Central Hockey League after four seasons at Division III Lake Forest College. Campbell allowed two goals in a loss to the Cincinnati Cyclones on Wednesday. “One game you can get blown out and the next night you can blow somebody out. I guess it’s just the way the bounces go,” Campbell said. Forwards Andy Bohmbach and Zack Torquato were the big gainers on the night, combining for three goals and seven points. Despite a strong start to the game, Wings coach Nick Bootland felt the team gave up after a enduring a stretch of bad luck in the first period. “We started to stray away from our system,” Bootland said. “It became very individualistic. Once we started to do that, any team is going to pick you apart.” Fights broke out in the third period as Kalamazoo’s frustration bubbled to the surface. Toledo captain Adam Keefe was ejected from the game for throwing his equipment into the air on his way to the penalty box for fighting Wings defenseman Mitch Versteeg. Wings center Darryl Lloyd was ejected from the game soon after as the referees attempted to calm down the rising tempers in the final minutes. Kalamazoo hopes to be on the other end of the barrage when they take on the division-leading Wheeling Nailers Sunday afternoon. Despite the losing-streak, the Wings still have a chance to tie for the division lead with a regulation win. “I think you try and salvage the weekend by a good, solid 60-minute effort,” Bootland said. Contact the writer at Ryan.Loren@ProHockeyNews.com
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