Centazzo, Keenan score twice in first regulation loss

TOLEDO – The Toledo Walleye fell to the Fort Wayne Komets 6-5 on Sunday night at the Huntington Center.

What Happened:

The Toledo Walleye welcomed the Fort Wayne Komets into the Huntington Center on Sunday to finish out a three-game weekend between the two teams.

John Lethemon made the start in the net, with Riley McCourt and Grant Gabriele on the defense and Brandon Hawkins, Trenton Bliss and Orrin Centazzo leading the Toledo attack.

Tyler Parks got the start between the pipes for the Komets. Xavier Bernard and Martin Has led the defense while Shawn Szydlowski, Alexis D’Aoust and Ture Linden manned the Fort Wayne attack.

The action would begin with a Fort Wayne penalty as Joe Gatenby would be assessed a High-Sticking minor at 10:24, giving the Walleye their first power play of the evening.

The Walleye would shortly convert the power play at 10:57 when Centazzo lifted one past Parks to put the Walleye in front. Bliss and Hawkins assisted the man-advantage score.

The Komets would even the score at 18:14 when the puck just slid behind Lethemon lost in a crowd. Jack Dugan scored the goal, with Has and Bernard getting assists.

The Komets would come right back and score again at 19:10, this time off the stick of Morgan Adams-Moisan, with assists going to Linden and Darien Kielb.

Fort Wayne would get their first power play chance at 19:55 when Hawkins was assessed a Slashing minor. 

That would wrap the action from the first 20, as The Walleye outshot the Komets 15-11 in the period. Toledo was 1/1 on the power play while Fort Wayne had not completed a power play chance.

The Walleye were able to successfully kill off the Fort Wayne power play that carried over to begin the second period.

The Walleye would get their second power play chance at 6:04 when Dugan was sent to the Fort Wayne box for High-Sticking.

The game would drop to four-on-four hockey for :53 at 7:11 when Brandon Kruse was sent to the Toledo penalty box for Slashing.

The Walleye penalty kill unit was able to foil yet another Komets power play.

The Fish would get a third power play opportunity at 10:56 when Jake Johnson was assessed an Interference minor for the Komets.

Fort Wayne stretched their lead to 3-1 with a shorthanded goal by Dugan, helped along by Linden. Both collected their second points of the game. Both of Dugan’s points being goals, and both of Linden’s points being assists.

The Komets successfully killed off the power play, dropping Toledo to 0/2 in the period.

The Walleye would return fire with a backside score by Conlan Keenan at 13:10 to shorten the deficit to 3-2. McCourt and Sam Craggs were the helping-hands on the score.

Fort Wayne would get another man-advantage at 14:04 when McCourt would be assessed a Cross-Checking minor for Toledo.

The Komets would convert their first power play of the weekend at 15:50 with a goal by Nolan Volcan, assisted by Jake Chiasson and Xavier Cormier.

The Walleye would return to the power play at 17:00 when Gatenby was sent to the Komets penalty box for Slashing.

Fort Wayne would immediately get handed another penalty at 17:17 when Matt Wedman would be assessed an Interference minor, meaning there would be 1:43 of five-on-three hockey.

Fort Wayne would successfully fend off both penalties to wrap the second frame.

The Walleye outshot the Komets 15-8 in the second 20, and 30-19 cumulatively. Toledo was 0/4 with a man-advantage in the period, while Fort Wayne was 1/3.

Fort Wayne would start the third period action at 5:18 when Wedman corralled a loose puck and found the back of the net unassisted to put the Komets’ lead at 5-2.

The Walleye would answer right back at 5:33 when Centazzo lasered his second goal of the night past Parks to bring it to 5-3. Hawkins tallied the solo assist, his second of the contest.

The Fish would follow it up with another goal by Keenan at 5:55 to close the gap to 5-4. Colin Theisen and Mitch Lewandowski collected the assists.

Toledo would be handed the first penalty of the period at 7:11 when Jake Willets was assessed a Roughing minor.

Just seconds later at 7:37, Toledo would be called for another penalty as Keenan was sent away for Slashing and Willets was handed a ten-minute misconduct.

Bliss would also be sent to the Toledo penalty box at 7:53 for Slashing, keeping the game at five-on-three.

The Komets would reopen their lead to two at 9:54 when Chiasson found the back of the net on the backside for the power play goal, making it 6-4 Komets.

The Walleye appeared to have scored at 11:39, and after a review overturned the no-goal call, McCourt scored his first goal of the season to make it 6-5 Fort Wayne. Craggs and Gabriele notched assists on the score.

After the goal, McCourt and Dugan would both be assessed two-minute minors for Unsportsmanlike Conduct and ten-minute Misconduct penalties for their respective teams, meaning 2:00 of four-on-four hockey.

That would drop to four-on-three hockey for :25 as at 13:15, Vincent De Mey was assessed a Tripping minor.

Fort Wayne would successfully kill off both penalties and return to full strength.

That would wrap the action in the final frame.

The Walleye outshot the Komets 9-6 in the third period and 39-25 overall. Toledo was 0/1 on the power play in the third period and 1/6 overall, while Fort Wayne was 1/3 in the period and 2/6 overall.

Three Stars Sponsored by Local 245:

1. Jack Dugan (2G) – FW
2. Ture Linden (3A) – FW
3. Orrin Centazzo (2G) – TOL

What’s Next:

The Toledo Walleye will remain at home to welcome the Wheeling Nailers into the Huntington Center on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 for School Education Day, with puck drop at 10:35 am ET.