ECHL ECHL

Walleye off to best start in five years

Published on November 10, 2014 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


After missing the playoffs last season, first-year head coach Derek Lalonde has the Toledo Walleye off to a strong start in 2014-15. The Walleye have won four straight games, outscoring their opponents 18-8 over that span, and are 6-2-0 on the season. Toledo, which is off to its best start after eight games since going 5-2-1 in 2009-10, is in third place of the North Division, but trails first-place Fort Wayne by just four points.

Toledo wrapped up a five-game road trip with a come-from-behind 4-3 shootout win at South Carolina on Tuesday. Josh Holmstrom and Shane Sims both scored goals in the final 2:07 of regulation to force extra time, and Anthony Luciani and Kyle Bonis tallied goals in the shootout to lift the Walleye to the win. Jared Coreau stopped 35 shots in regulation and overtime, and stopped all four Stingrays' shootout attempts, to record the win in goal.

The Walleye returned home on Saturday for the first time since Oct. 18 and skated away with a 5-0 win against Evansville. Jeff Lerg stopped all 14 shots he faced to pick up the shutout while five different Toledo players tallied goals. Marek Tvrdon led the way offensively with four points (1g-3a) while Tyler Barnes and Troy Schwab each contributed a goal and two assists.

Toledo concluded the week with a marathon 13-round shootout in a 4-3 victory over Cincinnati. Toledo native Alden Hirschfeld scored his first goal of the season with just 2:28 remaining in the third period to tie the game and force overtime. Coreau earned his second shootout win of the week, turning aside 24 shots through overtime, then making 10 saves on 13 attempts in the shootout.

Luciani has paced the Walleye offense this season, as he enters the week on an eight-game point streak. His 10 assists are tied for second in the league while his 12 points have him tied for seventh.

Lerg is tied for fourth in the ECHL with a .939 save percentage while his 1.50 goals-against average ranks fifth overall. He has allowed two goals or less in each of his four appearances this season.

The Walleye are the only team in the league to rank in the top six in both goals per game (6th at 3.75) and goals-against per game (T-3rd at 2.50), as well as in the top five in both shots per game (2nd at 34.88) and shots-against per game (5th at 26.38).

Toledo's penalty-kill unit has also been a strength in the early going, allowing just one power-play goal and leading the league with a 95.7 percent success rate (22-for-23).

The Walleye continue their nine-game home stand with three games this week, hosting Fort Wayne on Friday, Orlando on Saturday and Reading on Sunday.

A look ahead

Games to watch in the ECHL during the week ahead. Watch ECHL games live on ECHL.TV.

Eastern Conference

Fort Wayne at Kalamazoo (Wednesday)

The Komets visit Wings Stadium for a morning game on Wednesday. Fort Wayne leads the North Division, and is tied for the ECHL lead, with 16 points, which gives the Komets a three-point edge over the K-Wings for the top spot in the North Division.

Western Conference

Allen at Missouri (Friday)

The Mavericks have won three straight games, and are just one point out of first place in the Central Division. Missouri head coach Richard Matvichuk was an assistant coach with Allen the previous two seasons.

Divisions

North Division

- Byron Froese is on a five-game point streak since Oct. 31 (2g-5a).

- The Cyclones set a club record with a 13-round shootout on Sunday at Toledo.

- Cincinnati hosts Orlando on Thursday and Fort Wayne on Saturday.

- Myles Bell is tied for second among rookies with six goals.

- Evansville is league's second-least penalized team with 11.43 penalty minutes per game.

- The IceMen host Orlando on Tuesday and are at Elmira on Friday and Saturday.

- Mitchell Heard is on a six-game point streak (7g-4a).

- The Komets are 6-0-0 in one-goal games.

- Fort Wayne is at Kalamazoo on Wednesday, Toledo on Friday and Cincinnati on Saturday.

- Nick Jones is tied for second among rookie defensemen with six points (1g-5a).

- Indy is tied for third with two shorthanded goals.

- The Fuel host Wheeling on Saturday.

- Joel Martin is three wins shy of tying Ryan Nie for most ECHL wins in K-Wings history.

- The K-Wings are 5-0-0 when outshooting their opponent.

- Kalamazoo hosts Fort Wayne on Wednesday and Reading on Friday and Saturday.

- Anthony Luciani leads the Walleye in scoring with 12 points (2g-10a) and has at least one point in eight straight games.

- Toledo leads the league on the penalty kill at 95.7 percent (22-for-23).

- The Walleye host Fort Wayne on Friday, Orlando on Saturday and Reading on Sunday.

- Riley Brace had multiple points in all three games last week, giving him five such games this season.

- The Nailers are the only Eastern Conference team to not have a game go past regulation.

- Wheeling hosts Orlando on Friday and is at Indy on Saturday.

East Division

- Matt Tassone has nine points (5g-4a) in his last four games.

- Elmira is third on the power play at 24.3 percent (9-for-37).

- The Jackals host Evansville on Friday and Saturday.

- Corey Trivino scored a pair of goals in his season debut on Friday at South Carolina.

- The Everblades are tied for second with 26.11 shots-against per game.

- Florida is at South Carolina on Friday and Saturday and Gwinnett on Sunday.

- Michael St. Croix has at least one point in five of his last six games (2g-5a).

- Greenville is 4-0-0 when scoring at least one power-play goal.

- The Road Warriors host South Carolina on Monday and Gwinnett on Thursday and Friday before visiting the Stingrays on Sunday.

- Greg Carey scored four goals in Sunday's 4-2 win at South Carolina.

- The Gladiators have scored 11 of their 24 goals in the second period.

- Gwinnett is at Greenville on Thursday and Friday and hosts Florida on Sunday.

- Brock Montgomery and Carson McMillan both scored their first Solar Bears' goals over the weekend.

- Orlando begins a 13-game road trip on Tuesday.

- The Solar Bears are at Evansville on Tuesday, Cincinnati on Thursday, Wheeling on Friday and Toledo on Saturday.

- Cam Reid is on a seven-game point streak since Oct. 24 (3g-6a).

- The Royals are seventh with 3.63 goals per game.

- Reading is at Kalamazoo on Friday and Saturday and Toledo on Sunday.

- Cody Sylvester leads the Stingrays with eight points (3g-5a).

- South Carolina leads the league with 26.10 shots-against per game.

- The Stingrays are at Greenville on Monday and host Florida on Friday and Greenville on Sunday.

Central Division

- Jack Combs picked up his 300th career point on Sunday against Tulsa.

- The Americans are second with 4.17 goals per game.

- Allen visits Missouri on Friday and Wichita on Saturday and hosts Rapid City on Sunday.

- Trevor Cann is fourth with 181 saves.

- Brampton is fourth with 33.71 shots per game.

- The Beast host Quad City on Friday and Sunday.

- Sebastien Thinel is on a six-game point streak since Oct. 25 (3g-5a).

- The Mavericks have outscored their opponents 13-8 during their three-game winning streak.

- Missouri hosts Allen on Friday and is at Tulsa on Saturday and Wichita on Sunday.

- Justin Fox is on a six-game point streak since Oct. 28 (3g-4a).

- Quad City matched the ECHL season-high with 50 shots on goal on Sunday at Brampton.

- The Mallards are at Brampton on Friday and Sunday.

- Danny Battochio leads the league with two shutouts.

- The Rush are 4-1-1 when scoring first.

- Rapid City hosts Wichita on Tuesday and Wednesday and visits Tulsa on Friday and Allen on Sunday.

- Jake Obermeyer is tied for first among defensemen with four goals.

- Tulsa is 3-1-0 when outshot by its opponent.

- The Oilers host Rapid City on Friday and Wichita on Saturday.

- All six of Ian Lowe 's points this season have come on assists.

- The Thunder have killed off 17 straight penalties.

- Wichita is at Rapid City on Tuesday and Wednesday and hosts Allen on Saturday and Missouri on Sunday.

Pacific Division

- Olivier Archambault is on a three-game goal streak since Nov. 7 (4g).

- Alaska leads the league with 36.70 shots per game.

- The Aces are at Idaho on Tuesday and Wednesday and host Stockton on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

- Sebastien Sylvestre has six points (3g-3a) in his last seven games.

- The Condors have held a lead in 11 of their 13 games.

- Bakersfield hosts Idaho on Friday and Saturday.

- Jonathan Parker has five multi-point games through 10 games played.

- Colorado is 6-0-0 when scoring first.

- The Eagles are at Utah on Tuesday.

- Jason Bast leads the league with four game-winning goals.

- The Steelheads lead the ECHL with 18 goals in the third period.

- Idaho hosts Alaska on Tuesday and Wednesday and is at Bakersfield on Friday and Saturday.

- Tristan King is on a five-game point streak since Oct. 28 (2g-3a).

- Ontario is 5-0-2 when leading after two periods.

- The Reign host Stockton on Tuesday and are at Utah on Friday and Saturday.

- Shane Owen is second in the league with 213 saves.

- The Thunder are second on the power play at 24.4 percent (10-for-41).

- Stockton is at Ontario on Tuesday and Alaska on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

- Michael Pelech is tied for fifth with six goals.

- Utah has scored a power-play in each of its last eight games.

- The Grizzlies host Colorado on Tuesday and Ontario on Friday and Saturday.

Check out the ECHL Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



ECHL Stories from November 10, 2014


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central