Storm Becomes First ECHL Team to 20 Points
December 22, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Toledo Walleye News Release
(Toledo, Ohio) For the second game, the Toledo Storm (20-6-2=42) gave up late game-tying goal. However, also for the second consecutive game, the Storm pulled out the win to become the first team in the ECHL to bag 20 victories this season. In this one, the Storm won their first shootout of the season at the Sports Arena, 3-2 over the Baton Rouge Kingfish, to run the team's home record to 14-1-1 and extend the team's win streak to 4.
Once again, Toledo picked up the game's first goal when Mike Bayrack charged into the offensive end on the right wing side and drew the Kingfish defense toward him. That left defenseman, Brandon Fleenor, wipe open on the back door; and Bayrack threaded a perfect pass to Fleenor, who drew the puck to his backhand and slipped it underneath a sprawled out Jeff Blair-the Baton Rouge goaltender-at 13:57 of the first period. This marked the sixteenth time this season that Toledo has scored the game's first goal, and the Storm is 15-0-1 in those games.
Toledo took a two goal lead early in the third, when Jeff Johnstone fed a flat, cross ice feed to Alexandre Jacques, who had joined the play on the fly and set up in the right circle. Jacques didn't waste the chance firing a high, hard snap shot behind Blair 3:05 into the period. Baton Rouge got on the board, when Marquis Mathieu won an offensive zone face-off to the top of the left circle, where Trevor Demmans was waiting. Demmans blasted a low hard slap shot that ricocheted off the interior portion of the right pipe and into the net to make it 2-1 Toledo at the 9:04 mark of the second period.
From that point on the Storm was never able to shake the Kingfish, despite having three consecutive five-on-three power plays in the second period and firing a total of 43 shots on Blair, who was spectacular. Then, with just 1:04 remaining, Baton Rouge capitalized on a Storm miscue when Storm goaltender, Tom Draper, went out of the net to play a puck and got trapped away from the goal and out of position. Kingfish all-star (and former Toledo Storm player) Joe Guenther dug the puck off the end wall and found Bryan Richardson all alone in front of an empty Storm net. Richardson tapped it in to send it to overtime.
The Storm got the best of the extra session; but were unable to capitalize, as (again) Blair made several game-saving stops. But in the shootout, it was Draper who was perfect; and Erik Anderson shooting third for the Storm bagged the only goal to pull out the dramatic win for Toledo.
The Storm's next game is on the road against the red-hot Cincinnati Cyclones on Thursday, December 26, at 7:00 p.m. As with all Storm games, that game will be broadcast live on WCWA 1230 am in Toledo, Ohio.
ECHL Stories from December 22, 2002
- Condors Comeback Falls Short - Bakersfield Condors
- Chris M. Thompson's OT Goal Leads Bombers to Pre-Xmas Win - Dayton Bombers
- Blades Sweep Ice Pilots With 4-2 Win - Florida Everblades
- RiverBlades Shave Sea Wolves in Overtime, 3-2 - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Storm Becomes First ECHL Team to 20 Points - Toledo Walleye
- Storm down Kingfish in Shootout, 3-2 - Baton Rouge Kingfish
- Falcons Sweep Ice Dogs - Fresno Falcons
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
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