Bryce Montgomery tallied the first goal in franchise history, but the Bloomington Bison dropped Sunday's game to the Toledo Walleye.
The Bloomington Bison fell to 0-2-0-0 on their inaugural 2024-25 season after dropping Sunday afternoon's game to the Toledo Walleye. The visitors saw four different skaters find the back of the net in their 4-2 win at Grossinger Motors Arena.
Bison defenseman Bryce Montgomery, with his second-period tally, became the first player to score a regular-season goal in franchise history. Defenseman Case McCarthy also found the back of the net for the first time in a Bison sweater, notching a power-play goal in the third period.
Ruslan Khazheyev and Mark Sinclair both saw time between the pipes on Sunday. Khazheyev started the game and stopped 12-of-15 before being replaced by Sinclair, who made 11 saves on 12 shots just over seven minutes into the second period.
Bloomington went 1-for-5 on the power play and killed off their only penalty.
The Walleye jumped out to a one-goal lead at the 8:56 mark of the first period. Forward Carson Bantle scored his second goal in as many games on a centering feed from the side of the cage that found the back of the net.
The Bison outshot the Walleye 14-10 but trailed by a goal after the first 20 minutes of play.
Forward Trenton Bliss doubled Toledo’s lead 52 seconds into the second period. Tyler Spezia found Bliss down low, and the latter buried his backhanded shot in front of the Bison net.
Bloomington responded less than three minutes later on Montgomery's marker. Forward Jamie Engelbert carried the puck into the offensive zone with speed before dishing a drop pass to a trailing Montgomery. The Bison defenseman ripped a shot into the back of the net to bring the home team back within a goal.
Spezia restored Toledo's two-goal lead less than four minutes later. Walleye forward Brandon Hawkins found Spezia in the high slot off the faceoff, who rifled the puck into the Bloomington net.
Like the first period, the Bison held the shots-on-goal advantage, 14-9, but trailed 3-1 after 40 minutes of play.
The Walleye made it a 4-1 lead 89 seconds into the third period. Forward Gabriel Seger quickly turned and fired a backhander into the Bison net.
Blake McLaughlin was awarded a penalty shot just over seven minutes into the frame. However, the Bloomington forward was turned aside by Toledo netminder Carter Gylander, who stopped 38-of-40 overall in his pro debut.
McCarthy brought the Bison back within two goals on the power play, rocketing his shot into the Toledo net.
The Bloomington Bison (0-2-0-0) will resume play for their first regular-season road game against the Iowa Heartlanders (0-1-1-0) on Thursday, October 24. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. CST.