After opening the ECHL season with a month on the road, the Toledo Walleye play their first home game Saturday, when the Fort Wayne Komets visit the Huntington Center at 7:15 p.m. for Opening Night.
The Red Wings’ ECHL affiliate has done well away from home, winning four of its first six games, including two one-goal wins at Kalamazoo in the past week. Toledo finishes the road stretch tonight with a third visit to the K-Wings, at 7 p.m. at Wings Event Center, before the quick turnaround for Saturday’s opener.
A sellout streak on the line
Saturday’s crowd carries some history. The Walleye enter their 17th season at the Huntington Center with 122 consecutive sellouts, and the team says it hopes to record its 400th sellout since it was founded in 2009. Neil Neukam, the team’s executive vice president and general manager, said there is “a special energy that comes with welcoming hockey back to Toledo.”
The team says tickets are still available but selling fast. Festivities start early, with an Opening Night block party from 4 to 6 p.m. in Hensville Park, and every fan gets a rally towel.
A familiar opponent
Fort Wayne is no stranger this season. The Komets beat Toledo 2-1 on Oct. 31 in Fort Wayne, when Nolan Moyle scored the Walleye’s only goal and Carter Gylander made 28 saves. Gylander has since been sent back to Grand Rapids, leaving Jonathan Lemieux, the ECHL’s Goaltender of the Week in late October, as Toledo’s top option in goal. Tag Bertuzzi, who scored the overtime winner at Kalamazoo on Oct. 30, was recalled by the Griffins this week.
The opener starts a busy month at home. The Walleye host Rapid City on Nov. 18 (a 10:35 a.m. School Education Day game) and Nov. 20, and Military Appreciation Night is Nov. 21.
Earlier on Mitten Hockey: Walleye Game Recap: at K-Wings (Nov. 4).
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