How it happened:
Toledo took the first penalty of the game (1:51) into the game, as Chad Hillebrand was called for interference. Fort Wayne took advantage of their opportunity as Jayden Grubbe scored at 3:29 for the Komets, putting them up 1-0.
Conlan Keenan tied the game after some hard-fought puck battles, scoring his second goal of the season at 10:35 of the first. Will Hillman got the only assist on the goal. James Stefan took a rough penalty, which Toledo put on the power play a minute and a half later, but did not convert.
Alex Aleardi added another goal for Fort Wayne from the hash marks at 15:04 of the first period, putting the Komets up 2-1. That lead held until the end of the first period, as Fort Wayne had nine shots on goal to Toledo’s six.
It didn’t take long for the Komets to score in the second, as Alex Aleardi scored his second goal of the night just 1:13 into the second period. Toledo got their second chance on the power play just over a minute later when the Komets took a knee penalty but failed to score.
Toledo took a penalty kick at 10:37 of the second period to give the Komets their second power play opportunity of the evening, which they took advantage of for the second time tonight. Jayden Grubbe was credited for the goal, his second power play goal of the night. Former Walleye Jalen Smereck has an assist on each of Fort Wayne’s power play goals tonight.
The Komets got a third chance on the power play when Toledo took a tripping penalty in their offensive zone at 1:50 of the second period, which was killed. Toledo took another penalty five minutes later (at 6:47 p.m.), keeping Fort Wayne in control for the rest of the second period. The Walleye got just four shots in the second period as they outshot Fort Wayne 21-10 heading into the third period.
Zach Jordan added Fort Wayne’s 5e goal of the night at 4:43 of the third, giving the Komets a four-goal lead. The Komets took a penalty with 56 seconds left in the period, giving Toledo their third chance on the power play, trailing by four. The Walleye finished the game with 14 shots on goal, their lowest shot total of the season. Their next lowest was 17, which they did against Cincinnati on Wednesday morning, but the Fish came away with a win. Toledo’s power play finished 0-for-3, and the PK killed three of the five penalties called on them.
Three stars:
1 – F Alex Aleardi, FW (2 G)
2 – F Jayden Grubbe, FW (2 G)
3 – G Nathaniel Day, FW (13 SV, .928 SV%)
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