The Toledo Walleye scored three times in the first 5:35 of the third period and held on for a 4-3 win over the Kalamazoo Wings on Friday, Nov. 6, at Wings Event Center. Toledo took both games of its two-game set in Kalamazoo this week and improved to 5-2-0-0 heading into tonight’s home opener.
How it happened
After a scoreless first period in which Toledo outshot Kalamazoo 24-6, the K-Wings went ahead 55 seconds into the second when Zach Urdahl scored from the left corner. Quinn Preston tied it at 10:46, with Kyle Gaffney and Marcus Crawford assisting. Kalamazoo regained the lead at 12:25 during four-on-four play, as Konstantin Khremkin scored off a feed from Andre Ghantous.
Cooper Zech evened it again just 22 seconds into the third. Reilly Funk put Toledo in front at 4:34, with Brandon Hawkins and Nick Andrews assisting, and Nick Nardecchia added his second goal of the season at 5:35 for a 4-2 lead. Brandon Buhr pulled Kalamazoo within one with 4:36 left, assisted by Dylan Wendt and Collin Saccoman, but Toledo closed it out.
By the numbers
Toledo outshot Kalamazoo 48-23. K-Wings goaltender Mitchell Weeks made a season-high 44 saves. Kalamazoo went 0-for-1 on the power play and killed all three of Toledo’s chances. The Walleye’s three stars were Nardecchia, Zech, and Andrews. Kalamazoo fell to 2-3-2-0.
Friday’s win followed a 3-2 victory in Kalamazoo on Wednesday, when Gaffney, Hawkins, and Preston scored.
What’s next
After opening the season with a long road stretch, the Walleye finally play at home tonight, hosting the Fort Wayne Komets at 7:15 p.m. at the Huntington Center (BCSN, 1230 Fox Sports Radio, FloSports). Fort Wayne beat Toledo 2-1 on Oct. 31.
Earlier on Mitten Hockey: Walleye Game Recap: at K-Wings (Nov. 4) and Walleye finally come home for Opening Night against Fort Wayne.
Leave a Reply