Looking at Saturday's action around the ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs, including the Toledo Walleye's Game 2 win over the Wheeling Nailers, extending their win to 20 games.
Looking at Saturday's action around the ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Toledo Walleye 5, Wheeling Nailers 3
The Toledo Walleye held off the visiting Wheeling Nailers to take a 2-0 series lead on home ice. The series now shifts to WesBanco Arena on Wednesday night for Game 3. With the win, the Walleye extended its win streak to 20 games.
Toledo took an early 1-0 lead on Jason Willms' first goal of the postseason off a beautiful pass from Mitchell Lewandowski. Wheeling responded late in the first period on Justin Lee's blast from the point on the power play. However, the Walleye regained the lead just 37 seconds later on Lewandowski's third of the playoffs to give Toledo a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.
Into the second period, the Walleye doubled up its lead on Matt Anderson's sharp angle deflection that somehow found the back of the net. Wheeling cut the deficit to one goal just under nine minutes later on Isaac Belliveau's second goal of the postseason. Toledo regained its two-goal lead after Orrin Centazzo buried a backhander on Brandon Kruse's centering feed.
Lee tallied his second of the night at the 8:57 mark of the third period to bring the Nailers back within one. However, Riley Sawchuk hit the empty-netter to seal the win for Toledo.
Walleye goaltender Jan Bednar turned aside 30 of 33 shots on goal and now has wins in all three of his appearances this postseason.
Florida Everblades 6, Orlando Solar Bears 3
Five different skaters found the back of the net in the Florida Everblades' Game 2 win over the Orlando Solar Bears. Todd Skirving opened the scoring at the 6:51 mark of the first period, starting a run of three consecutive goals for the Everblades.
Cole Moberg followed exactly two minutes later and now has goals in four straight games. Sean Josling scored on a one-timer from the left-wing circle on the power play with under six minutes left in the frame. Orlando's Jesse Jacques scored on the power play near the midway point of the second period.
However, the Everblades responded with two goals in a 2:11 span, including Joe Pendenza's first of two goals on the night and Oliver Chau's first of the postseason. The Solar Bears cut into the deficit on Kevin Lombardi's redirection in front.
Into the third period, Pendenza potted his second goal to make it a 6-2 Florida lead before Mitchell Hoelscher scored for the first time in the playoffs. Everblades goaltender Cam Johnson picked up the win, turning aside 29 of 32 shots on goal.
Game 3 between Florida and Orlando is set for a 7:00 p.m. EST puck drop on Tuesday, May 7.
Norfolk Admirals 5, Adirondack Thunder 2
Despite being outshot 43-29, the Norfolk Admirals scored five times and took a commanding 2-0 series lead, with both wins coming on the road. Now the series shifts to Virginia on Wednesday.
Keaton Jameson was one of five skaters to find the back of the net for the Admirals. The Norfolk forward opened the scoring at the 12:52 mark of the first period and now has goals in back-to-back games.
Adirondack evened the score in the second period on Yushiroh Hirano's third goal of the postseason. Norfolk regained the lead just over five minutes later on Stepan Timofeyev's wrister from the low slot. The Admirals would take a 2-1 lead into the locker room after 40 minutes.
The Thunder knotted the game at 2-2 early in the third period on Tristan Ashbrook's sixth marker of the playoffs and fifth in his last six games. Norfolk's Danny Katic provided the go-ahead goal and eventual game-winner on an absolute bomb from the right-wing circle with just over 12 minutes left in regulation.
Austen Keating extended the Admirals lead approximately nine minutes later on a deflection in front of the Adirondack net. Mathieu Roy hit the empty-netter with six seconds left on the clock.
Admirals netminder Yaniv Perets earned his third straight win and stopped 41 of 43 shots on goal.
Kansas City Mavericks 4, Idaho Steelheads 2
Kansas City jumped out to a 4-0 lead and never looked back, earning a Game 1 victory on home ice. The Mavericks outshot the Steelheads 33-26, while Kansas City forwards David Cotton and Jacob Hayhurst both found the back of the net twice. Game 2 between these two teams is set for a Sunday puck drop.
Cotton scored the first of his two goals at the 14:58 mark of the first period on a backhander in front of the Idaho net. Less than two minutes later, Hayhurst doubled up Kansas City's lead with his first goal of the postseason. The Mavericks took a 2-0 lead into the locker room after 20 minutes.
Just 46 seconds into the middle frame, Cotton found the back of the net for the second time in the game. Exactly 14 minutes later, Hayhurst scored on a shorthanded breakaway to make it a 4-0 advantage for the Mavericks.
Idaho's Patrick Kudla scored his third goal of the postseason at the 13:15 mark of the third period to end Cale Morris's shutout bid. The Steelheads cut into the deficit further with 32 seconds left in regulation on Jake Murray's move to work his way to the net and score. However, it would be too little, too late for Idaho.
Morris turned aside 24 of 26 shots on goal and now has wins in all three postseason starts while allowing two or fewer goals during that stretch.
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Toledo Walleye Keep Historic Win Streak Alive With Overtime Winner In Game 1
Everblades Dominate Solar Bears In Game 1
Norfolk Scores Four Times In Third Period, Takes Game 1 Against Adirondack