Toledo Walleye Weekly Release No. 24: April 10, 2023

Overall Record: 44-18-4-3, 2nd Central Division, Current Streak 1 Win

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

April 7 vs. Cincinnati (4-1 Win)

THIS WEEK’S GAMES (All Times Eastern)

April 14 at Kalamazoo at 7 p.m. (6:45 p.m., Fox Sports Radio 1230)

April 15 vs. Kalamazoo at 7:15 p.m. (7 p.m., Fox Sports Radio 1230, BCSN)

April 16 vs. Fort Wayne at 5:15 p.m. (5 p.m., Fox Sports Radio 1230, BCSN)

Walleye Notes

Much-needed win: It was a battle at the Huntington Center on Friday night as the Cincinnati Cyclones came to town for the final time in the regular season. Toledo got to work early as Gordie Green put the Walleye ahead under two minutes into the first period. Andrew Sturtz and Sam Craggs added two more for Toledo in the second. Despite Matt Berry getting the Cyclones on the board five minutes into the third, TJ Hensick capped off the 4-1 win with a power play goal three minutes later. Andrew Sturtz (1G, 1A) and Sebastian Cossa (33 SVS) were top performers in the win.

Another record for the books: Despite a rocky start to their season, the Walleye had a significant turnaround at the beginning of the new year. Since then, Toledo has broken multiple franchise records, the most recent being a new high of 13 consecutive sellout crowds thanks to the 7,925 fans in attendance on Friday.

Finding home between the pipes: After earning the ECHL’s Goaltender of the Month honor in March, 20-year-old Sebastian Cossa has shown no signs of slowing down. He improved his April record to 2-1-0 after saving 33 of 34 Cincinnati shots on Friday. Since the start of 2023, the first-round Detroit draft pick has amassed an 18-5-2 record. This impressive campaign includes four shutouts and a ten-game winning streak. Currently, Cossa stands fourth among all ECHL goaltenders with a 2.48 goals against average, third in shutouts (4), and fourth in saves (1,141).

Closing out the regular season: Toledo’s final weekend of the regular season includes a home-and-home series with Kalamazoo on Friday and Saturday and a visit from Fort Wayne on Sunday. The Walleye have accumulated a record of 8-3-1 against the Wings this season. Toledo has beaten Kalamazoo in seven consecutive meetings; their last loss to the Wings came in a 3-2 overtime decision on the road on December 9. Kalamazoo, currently in sixth place in the Central Division, will play their final games this weekend as they did not clinch a spot in the postseason. Toledo has generated a record of 4-4-1 against the Komets. The teams met just over a month ago when the Walleye handed the Komets a 5-3 loss on the road. Fort Wayne, currently fourth in the division, was the last team to secure their spot in the postseason.

The stage is set: The 2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs are quickly approaching, and the Walleye are hungrier than ever to capture their first championship title. In the last five years, Toledo has made two appearances in the Kelly Cup Finals, in 2019 against Newfoundland and last year against Florida. This year, the Walleye were the first team in the league to punch their postseason ticket amid their 18-game winning streak. With Cincinnati’s win over Indy on Sunday, the Central Division Semifinal matchups have been set. Toledo, who will finish second, will face the third-place Indy Fuel in a best-of-seven series, while the first-place Cyclones will take on the fourth-place Komets. 

Walleye Player of the Week:

Andrew Sturtz (1 goal, 1 assist = 2 points)

Walleye Goaltender of the Week:

Sebastian Cossa (1-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .971 save %)