Lewandowski tallies three points, game-winner in overtime win over Wings

KALAMAZOO, MI – The Toledo Walleye defeated the Kalamazoo Wings 3-2 in overtime on Friday night at the Wings Event Center.

What Happened:

The Toledo Walleye headed North to face the Kalamazoo Wings at the Wings Event Center looking to bounce back from a shootout loss.

Jan Bednar would defend the pipes for the Walleye. Michael Prapavessis and Will Cullen would man the defence with Sam Craggs, Brandon Kruse and Darian Pilon leading the Toledo attack.

Jonathan Lemieux would defend the home net for the Wings. Derek Daschke and Connor Walters would fill the defence with Ted Nichol, Cooper Walker and Jordan Seyfert staffing the Kalamazoo attack.

The action would begin at 11:17 with a Kalamazoo power play after Riley Sawchuk was sent to the Toledo penalty box for Slashing. Toledo would successfully kill off the power play.

The Walleye would break the ice at 14:09 when Thomas Farrell found the net with help from Sawchuk and Mitch Lewandowski to put the Fish on top 1-0.

That would wrap the first frame with the Walleye leading the Wings 1-0.

The Walleye outshot the Wings 10-5 in the period. Toledo did not have a power play chance in the period while Kalamazoo was 0/1.

The second period action would begin with a Toledo power play after Kalamazoo would be penalized for Too Many Men at 1:04, which would be served by Brad Morrison. Kalamazoo fended off the power play.

The Walleye would get their next man-advantage at 3:43 when Jacob Nordqvist was sent to the Wings penalty box for Tripping. The Wings would kill off the penalty again.

The Wings would even the score at 10:01 when Daschke found the net. Collin Adams and David Keefer added assists to the score.

Kalamazoo would get their next man-advantage at 10:31 when Cullen was sent to the Toledo box for Holding. Toledo would kill off the man-advantage.

The Wings would shortly get another power play at 12:59 when the Walleye were penalized for Too Many Men, which Farrell would serve the penalty for.

The Wings’ power play would be dropped to a four-on-four for 23 seconds before becoming a Walleye power play after Tanner Sorenson was assessed a Boarding minor at 14:36.

Before Sorenson’s penalty expired, it would drop back down to four-on-four again at 15:41 after Brandon Hawkins was sent to the Toledo penalty box for Cross-Checking.

There would be ten seconds of five-on-three hockey as Lewandowski was assessed a Delay of Game at 17:31. All penalties were successfully killed off.

That would finish the second period action with the Walleye and the Wings tied at 1-1.

The Walleye outshot the Wings 12-8 in the period and 22-13 cumulatively. Toledo was 0/3 on the power play in the period, while Kalamazoo was 0/4.

The third period action would begin with Adrien Beraldo and Nichol dropping the gloves at 6:09 and each being sent to their penalty boxes with five-minute majors for Fighting.

The Walleye would grab the lead at 15:11 when Sawchuk found paydirt. Lewandowski and Chase Gresock were the helping-hands on the score.

The lead didn’t last as the Wings came back down the ice to tie the game at 2-2 at 15:52 when Josh Passolt found the twine. Daschke and Walters tallied assists on the equalizer.

McCourt would be assessed a ten-minute Misconduct at 16:54.

That would end the third period action with the Walleye and the Wings tied at 2-2.

The Walleye outshot the Wings 15-4 in the period and 37-17 cumulatively. Neither team had a power play chance in the period.

The overtime action started with a Walleye power play when Erik Bradford was sent to the Kalamazoo box for Slashing at 1:01.

The Walleye would convert the power play to win the game at 2:45 when Lewandowski lit the lamp for a three-point night. Trenton Bliss and Hawkins added assists to the game-winner.

The overtime goal would seal a 3-2 Walleye win in overtime over the Wings.

The Walleye outshot the Wings 4-0 in overtime and 41-17 overall. Toledo was 1/1 on the power play in overtime and 1/4 overall, while Kalamazoo did not have an opportunity in overtime and was 0/5 overall.

Three Stars Sponsored by Local 245:

1. Mitch Lewandowski (1G, 2A, GWG/OT) – TOL
2. Riley Sawchuk (1G, 1A) – TOL
3. Thomas Farrell (1G) – TOL

What’s Next:

The Toledo Walleye will return to the Huntington Center for the last time before the new year tomorrow, Saturday, December 30, 2023, when the Cincinnati Cyclones return with puck drop coming at 7:15 pm ET.