Toledo traveled up to Kalamazoo for the second weekend in a row to play their first of two final road games this season, both of which are against the Wings. Last Friday, the Walleye secured their sixth straight win over the K-Wings to extend their season record to 7-3-1 with three games remaining between the teams.
In the opening half of tonight’s first period, Toledo outshot Kalamazoo by a count of 7-2. However, the Wings were the first to get on the board thanks to Ben Copeland at the 14:22 mark. Under two minutes later, Thomas Ebbing responded, sending the puck past the right pad of Kalamazoo netminder Pavel Cajan to make it a tie game. John Albert and Charlie Curti picked up the assists on the equalizer. Toledo more than doubled Kalamazoo’s seven shots in the opening period with 15.
The first penalty of the night went to Kalamazoo’s Justin Murray for roughing halfway through the seventh minute of period two. The K-Wings came away with the penalty kill, but Ryan Cox put the Walleye ahead four minutes later as he tipped Gordi Green’s shot from outside the right circle. Brandon Hawkins grabbed the second assist on the game-winner.
Another Wings penalty came in the middle period, a tripping call against Franco Sproviero late in the 18th minute. With just 11 seconds gone in the power play, Charlie Curti extended the Walleye lead with a one-timer from Brandon Hawkins and Gordi Myer. Despite being outshot 18-12 in the second period, Toledo headed into the final third leading 3-1.
In the final 20 minutes of play, the shot count was significantly lower for both teams. The K-Wings got their first power play at 8:31 as Sam Craggs headed to the Toledo box with a hooking minor. Despite the Wings racking up seven shots in the latter half of the final period, Sebastian Cossa remained a brick wall in the Walleye net up until the end.
The home stretch kicks off on Friday as Toledo hosts Reading for the one and only time this season at 7:15 p.m.
With Toledo Walleye release
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