Waldron scores sixth point in five games as Walleye falls short in overtime against Fort Wayne | Pro Hockey News

Toledo, OH – The Toledo Walleye lost 4-3 to the Fort Wayne Komets in overtime tonight at the Huntington Center. Newcomers Ryland Mosley scored Toledo’s first goal, Johnny Waldron recorded a goal and an assist for his 5th and 6th points as Walleye, and Mitch Lewandowski tied the game late.

How it happened:

Brandon Hawkins took the first penalty of the game, a tripping minor, 7:17 into the first period to give the Komets their first power play opportunity of the night. Toledo killed the penalty and Hawkins was all alone with the puck as he left the box, but he couldn’t bury his shot.

Colin Swoyer went into the penalty box for a hooking call after Fort Wayne played about two minutes with the delayed penalty and finally coughed up the puck at the 12:58 mark of the first. Toledo also killed that penalty, their second kill of the evening.

Tanner Dickinson and Austin Magera each took compensatory penalties at 7:11 of the second period, leading to two minutes of 4-on-four hockey. Toledo finally got their first power play opportunity before the brutal penalties expired, when Matt Copponi took a tripping penalty at 8:50 of the second (21 seconds 4-on-3).

The Walleye went 5-on-3 for 16 seconds when Tyler Inamoto was assessed a game-time penalty for covering the puck in front of the net. They didn’t score before the end of the Copponi penalty, but Ryland Mosley recorded his first ECHL point with a goal to break the scoreless tie on the power play. Riley McCourt got his 4^e power play assist on the goal of the weekend, and Johnny Waldron got his fifth point in as many games with the Walleye with an assist on the goal at 11:44 of the second period.

Toledo continued their second power play of the night with a tripping call to Komets captain Alex Aleardi at the 5:00 mark of the second period. Johnny Waldron scored on that power play, his 4^e of the season and the second point of the night, giving Toledo a 2-0 lead at 18:37 of the second. Sam Craggs and Mitch Lewandowski got the assists on goal.

As the second period ended, Colin Swoyer took a penalty for a hook, giving Fort Wayne its third chance on the power play to start the third period with Toledo ahead 2-0. The Walleye killed the penalty without letting Fort Wayne get a shot on net.

However, Blake Murray got the Komets on the board and scored his 17^e goal of the season on a pass in front of the net at 4:49 of the third to the Walleye led to one. Jalen Smereck followed less than a minute later with a goal, his 8^e of the season to tie the game at two.

Austin Magera scored to take the lead for the Komets, notching his 21^st goal of the season at 7:59 of the third period, putting Fort Wayne ahead 3-2. Nick Andrews took a cutting penalty, giving Fort Wayne a power play for the 4^e time tonight, kill this one too for their 4^e murder of the night. Toledo pulled Carter Gylander with about 2:30 to go in regulation, and Mitch Lewandowski tapped the puck in to tie the game at 3 with 2:11 to go for his 6.^e goal of the season. Dylan Moulton had the only assist on the tying goal that sent the game to overtime.

Matt Copponi took a holding penalty 1:07 into overtime, giving the Walleye a crucial advantage in overtime. Just before the end of the hooking penalty, Colin Swoyer took an interference call at 3:06, giving Fort Wayne the same opportunity as Toledo. Fort Wayne took advantage when Blake Murray scored his second goal of the night, this time on the overtime winner on the power play.

Local 245 Three stars:

1 – F Blake Murray, FW (GWG, 2 G)

2 – F Mitch Lewandowski, TOL (1 G, 1 A)

3 – F Austin Magera, FW (1 G)