TOLEDO, OH – The Toledo Walleye erased a two-goal, third-period deficit to force their second overtime in as many nights against the Rapid City Rush, before Marcus Crawford was credited with his first professional goal 1:31 into the extra session to clinch a 4-3 victory on Sunday before a capacity crowd at the Huntington Center.
Tyler Spezia potted his third goal of the weekend at 8:44 to bring the Walleye (26-10-3-3) within a goal, while Hunter Smith knotted the score at three apiece with 3:06 left in regulation. T.J. Hensick had his penalty shot steered aside 55 seconds into overtime, but the ECHL’s leading scorer extended his point streak to 12 straight with the secondary assist on Crawford’s deciding tally 36 ticks later.
Sunday’s attendance of 7,450 – including 186 four-legged spectators – marked Toledo’s 13th sellout of the campaign as the club improved to 3-0-0-1 to begin its season-long, nine-game home stand. With Cincinnati idle, the result leaves the Walleye two points behind their intrastate rivals for the Western Conference lead.
Shane Berschbach opened the scoring 8:16 into the contest. After Matt Register’s slapshot from the left point was fought off by 6-foot-7 netminder Tyler Parks, Berschbach was stationed in front to swat the rebound out of mid-air and inside the right post for his 17th goal of the year.
Rapid City (17-22-4-3) restored parity 38 seconds later when Chris Leibinger won the race to a puck at the left circle and set up a charging Matt Harrington for a one-timer from the hash marks. Tempers boiled over later in the frame, as Bryan Moore was assessed a match penalty and a fighting major around the halfway mark, while Connor Schmidt and Darby Llewellyn each received double-minors for their tussle at 15:58.
The Rush seized the momentum for much of the second stanza, scoring twice to build a 3-1 lead. Michael Turner’s backhanded effort from the right circle put the visitors in front at 4:18, before Cedric Montminy took Llewellyn’s centering pass in the slot and buried a wrister inside the left post near at the 8:54 mark.
Frustrations continued to mount for the Walleye until Spezia trimmed the deficit in half with 11:16 to go in regulation. Crawford dropped the puck to A.J. Jenks, who fired a wrist shot the right point that grazed the stick of Spezia in the slot and settled into the left corner.
Toledo set up shop in the Rapid City zone and finally pulled even with 3:06 remaining in the third. Justin Kea gained the zone and dropped the puck to Smith at the right circle for a snapshot into the top right corner. Jenks and Shaquille Merasty dropped the gloves with 2:45 left in regulation as the Walleye went beyond 60 minutes for the fifth time in seven games.
Hensick was hooked from behind on a breakway attempt with 55 seconds gone in overtime, but was unable to open up the five-hole on the ensuing penalty shot. One shift later, Crawford’s wrist shot from the right corner was blocked by Parks, only for the puck to pinball off Josh Elmes in front and into the net to complete the comeback.
Toledo finished 0-for-6 on the power play, while Rapid City failed to convert on its sole opportunity. Kaden Fulcher turned aside 25-of-28 shots to mprove to 12-3-2-2, as Parks stopped 38-of-42 for the Rush.
What’s Next:
The Walleye continue their nine-game home stand on Thursday with a matinee clash against the Kalamazoo Wings. Puck drop from the Huntington Center is set for 10:35 a.m.
Three Stars:
1. Toledo – Marcus Crawford (overtime goal, assist)
2. Toledo – Tyler Spezia (goal, assist)
3. Toledo – Hunter Smith (game-tying goal)
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