Toledo Walleye Weekly Release No. 12: January 8, 2024

Overall Record: 22-4-2-3, 1st Central Division, Current Streak: 13 Unbeaten (11-0-1)
  

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

January 5 vs Fort Wayne (4-0 Win)

January 6 at Cincinnati (4-3 Win/OT)

January 7 vs Cincinnati (5-4 Loss/OT)
 

THIS WEEK’S GAMES (All Times Eastern)

January 10 at Indy (7 p.m., Fox Sports Radio 1230)

January 12 at Kalamazoo (7 p.m., Fox Sports Radio 1230)

January 13 vs. Kalamazoo (7:15 p.m., Fox Sports Radio 1230, BCSN)

January 14 vs. Indy (5:15 p.m., Fox Sports Radio 1230, BCSN)
 

WALLEYE NOTES

Closing on 50: The Toledo Walleye claimed five of six possible points over the weekend, winning over Fort Wayne on Friday and in Cincinnati on Saturday before falling to Cincinnati in overtime on Sunday. The Walleye head into the upcoming week remaining atop the Central Division with 49 points, which is a 12-point gap over second place Fort Wayne (37).

Road warriors: The Toledo Walleye have been outright dominant on the road this season, going 13-1-1-0 including nine straight wins on the road. The Fish have outscored opponents 70-46 this season while averaging 36.93 shots per game. The Walleye power play unit is 31.6% (18/57) on the road while the road penalty kill unit is 84.0% (42/50). The Walleye will have a chance to improve these numbers even more as they begin the week with back-to-back road games.

Win-ter wonderland: The Toledo Walleye have been red-hot as of late, going unbeaten in their last thirteen games overall (11-0-1) as well as winning their last nine games on the road. The longest unbeaten streak in Walleye history is the 20 straight that occurred February 3 through March 18, 2023.

Puttin’ them to Bed-zy: Goaltender Jan Bednar recorded his first professional shutout in the 4-0 Walleye win over the Fort Wayne Komets on Friday night. The Karlovy, Czech Republic native is in his first full season with the Walleye after playing in three games with the Fish last season. Bednar boasts a record of 11-1-4 this season, while posting a 2.85 GAA with a .885 SVP.

Player of the Month Hawk-ey: Forward Brandon Hawkins is riding a thirteen-game point streak, which included an eight-game assist streak. Hawkins has collected 21 points (8G, 13A) during his point streak. Hawkins' assist on Sunday allowed him to extend his point streak to 13 games, the second longest current streak in the ECHL. Hawkins claimed the ECHL December Player of the Month award after tallying 16 points (6G, 10A) while he currently leads the ECHL in points with 45. The 29-year-old leads the Walleye in assists (26) and points (45) while tied with Sam Craggs for the team-lead in goals (19).

Old friends, different faces: The Toledo Walleye will head into a four-game week where they will play Indy and Kalamazoo twice. Toledo has seen Kalamazoo just twice since the beginning of December and have not seen Indy since November 19. The Toledo Walleye will begin the week on the road, visiting the Indy Fuel on Wednesday and then the Kalamazoo Wings on Friday. The Walleye return home to the Huntington Center to finish out the weekend on Saturday, welcoming in the Wings before hosting the Fuel on Sunday.

WALLEYE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

Orrin Centazzo (2G, 3A, GWG; +2)

WALLEYE GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK:

Jan Bednar (1-0-1, 2.44 GAA, .904 SVP; First Professional Shutout)