Strong third period fuels comeback over Indy

TOLEDO – The Toledo Walleye defeated the Indy Fuel 5-3 on Sunday evening at the Huntington Center.

What Happened:

The Toledo Walleye welcomed the Indy Fuel into the Huntington Center to close out a four-game week and send the Fish into the All-Star Break.

Jan Bednar defended the home net for the Walleye. Matt Anderson and Michael Prapavessis manned the defence while Sam Craggs, Conlan Keenan and Brandon Kruse led the Toledo attack.

Zach Driscoll started between the pipes for the Fuel. Josh Maniscalco and D.J. King staffed the defence while Cameron Hillis, Colin Bilek and Kyle Maksimovich filled out the attack for Indy.

The action began with a Walleye power play at 9:12 after Christopher Cameron threw the stick of Riley Sawchuk and was assessed a Holding the Stick minor. The Fuel killed off the power play.

The period would end with an Indy penalty at the horn when Maniscalco was sent to the Indy penalty box for Slashing. Toledo would start their second power play of the night in the second period.

The period would end with no score between the Walleye and the Fuel.

The Walleye were outshot in the period 5-10. Toledo was 0/1 on completed power plays in the period, while Indy did not have an opportunity.

The second period began with another Fuel penalty at 1:52, giving the Walleye eight seconds of a five-on-three advantage.

The game dropped to four-on-four hockey at 2:53 when Orrin Centazzo was sent to the Walleye penalty box for Slashing.

The Fuel killed off their penalty, just to earn a delayed penalty, which put them at full-strength for just five seconds before the game returned to four-on-four hockey. Former Fish Brandon Shultz was sent to the Fuel penalty box at 3:58 for Holding. All penalties were killed off.

Indy found the score column first at 6:19 when Andrew Bellant found the net. Matus Spodniak and Jon Martin added assists to the icebreaker.

The Walleye got their next power play chance at 10:27 when Maksimovich was sent to the Fuel penalty box for Tripping.

Toledo’s power play was short-lived as Brandon Hawkins was sent to the penalty box at 10:45 for Hooking, dropping it to four-on-four hockey for 1:42. Both penalties were killed off.

The Walleye got their next man-advantage at 14:48 when Maksimovich was sent to the Fuel penalty box for High-Sticking. The Fuel successfully fended off the man-advantage.

The Walleye knotted the score at 1-1 when Sawchuk lit the lamp at 18:16. Mitch Lewandowski and Alexandre Doucet added assists to the equalizer.

Indy raced down the ice and took the lead right back at 18:27 when Shultz hit twine from Bryan Lemos to make it 2-1 Indy.

That wrapped the second frame with the Fuel leading the Walleye 2-1.

The Walleye were outshot 9-11 in the period and 14-21 cumulatively. Toledo was 0/5 on the power play in the period while Indy was 0/2.

The third period action began with the two teams exchanging penalties as Lewandowski and Ross MacDougall exchanged Slashing minors for Toledo and Indy respectively at 1:56 which meant four-on-four hockey. Both penalties were killed off.

The Fish tied it back up at 2-2 when Sawchuk found paydirt from Lewandowski and Doucet for the second time on the evening at 10:03.

The Walleye grabbed a 3-2 lead at 10:58 when Centazzo found the net from Colin Theisen.

The Fish struck again at 11:21 when Doucet buried the puck on the backside, this time from Sawchuk and Lewandowski. Each collecting their third points of the evening.

The two teams exchanged penalties yet again, this time Craggs and Hillis exchanging at 12:04. Hillis was sent away for Roughing, while Craggs was assessed a Boarding minor. Both penalties were killed off.

The Fuel got one back at 17:11 when Maniscalso found the net after Driscoll was pulled. Martin added a solo assist on the score.

The Walleye sealed the deal at 19:37 when Anderson buried an empty-netter to stretch the gap to 5-3. Craggs and Grant Gabriele added assists to the sealer.

The horns sounded with the Walleye claiming a 5-3 victory over the Indy Fuel.

The two teams shot an even 8-8 in the period, but the Walleye were outshot by the Fuel 22-29 overall. Neither team had a power play in the third period. Toledo finished 0/6 on the power play while Indy finished 0/2.

Three Stars Sponsored by Local 245:

1. Riley Sawchuk (2G, 1A) – TOL
2. Alexandre Doucet (1G, 2A) – TOL
3. Mitch Lewandowski (3A) – TOL

What’s Next:

The Toledo Walleye will head into the All-Star Break as Brandon Hawkins heads to Savannah, GA to participate in the festivities.

Coming out of the All-Star Break, the Toledo Walleye will head South to meet the Cincinnati Cyclones at the Heritage Bank Center on Friday, January 19, 2024, with puck drop coming at 7:35 pm ET.