Celebrating Halloween on the road, the Toledo Walleye defeated the Kalamazoo Wings tonight in Kalamazoo. The Walleye took advantage of their numerous power-play opportunities, taking down the previously-undefeated Wings 7-5.
Speaking with Matt Melzak, the "Voice of the Walleye," prior to the game, head coach Nick Vitucci stressed the importance of playing a full 60 minutes of good hockey. He added that the Wings "should be a good test" for the team, showing them where they are and where they need to be.
The Wings put one on the board just moments after the game began, with Rick Cleaver besting goaltender Jordan Pearce. Cleaver, who ranks 10th in the league for scoring added his fourth goal and 10th point of the season, with Darryl Bootland getting the assist.
Walleye team captain Ryan Stokes scored his first goal of the season, tying the score at one just over six minutes into the first on the power play. Again capitalizing on the man advantage, former K-Wing Tommy Lange gave the team the lead two minutes later following a slashing call on Devin Featherstone.
Kalamazoo however tied the score at two just before the first intermission as Trent Daavettila netted his fifth goal of the season. Anton Kharin and Wings captain Sam Ftorek were each credited with the assists.
Evan Rankin got the Walleye off to a good start in the second, scoring between the pads on Kalamazoo goaltender Julien Ellis just over 90 seconds in. The lead however was short-lived as Kalamazoo answered right back, with center Mathieu Curadeau getting the puck past Pearce.
Not to be outdone, the Walleye matched the goal with two of their own. Maxime Tanguay netted the first from Adam Hobson, while the second came from Joe Charlebois. Having scored both goals on the power play, the Walleye easily topped the three power-play goals allowed by the Wings so far this season. The Wings brought it within one goal just before the end of the period as Matt Jones took a nice pass from defenseman Ryan McGinnis.
Toledo continued to dominate the game, with Dominic Osman scoring his second goal of the year and yet another power play goal for the game. Tensions flared in the third period as fights broke out between Ryan Stokes and Brian McGuirk, then Adam Hobson and Darryl Bootland, all within the first five minutes of the stanza.
The Wings came back to score midway through the period with Rick Cleaver getting his second goal of the game. Their last-minute effort was unsuccessful however as the Walleye closed the door on the game with an empty-net and short-handed goal by Dominic Osman to make it a 7-5 final.
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