To say Game 4 of the Kelly Cup Final was a must-win for the Toledo Walleye would not have been an exaggeration. The Trois-Rivieres Lions held a 2-1 advantage [https://thehockeynews.com/echl/game-day/lions-strike-early-edge-walleye-to-take-lead-in-kelly-cup-finals]in the series, with the next two games on home ice. After the Lions came away with a 3-1 victory Friday in front of over 4,600 fans at Colisee Videotron, the Fish are officially in must-win mode. They find themselves down 3-1 in the series and in danger of falling short of a Kelly Cup in their third Finals appearance. It certainly wasn’t from a lack of effort. After managing just 12 shots over the first 40 minutes, Toledo sent wave after wave against Lions goaltender Luke Cavallin in the third period, but could only muster one goal for their trouble. “Back’s up against the wall,” Toledo forward Brandon Hawkins said on the team’s broadcast following the game. “We gotta believe in each other. I believe in every single guy in that locker room, plain and simple. It’s do-or-die, and in my eyes, it’s just (relying) on each other.” The opening 20 minutes had just about everything except goals. For the first time this post-season, Jan Bednar started in back-to-back games, and he was tested early. The Walleye netminder stopped the first shot of the game, as the Lions once again came out on the offensive in the opening minute. Trois-Rivieres was then kept away from the net without a shot for the next 17 minutes. The Walleye, meanwhile, put several quality shots on Cavallin but couldn’t get on the scoreboard. After Toledo’s Brandon Hawkins went to the sin bin for high-sticking, things got a bit physical. Brandon Kruse was taken to the ice by the Lions’ Chris Jandric and remained down for a couple of minutes before heading to the bench. Despite throwing some punches, Jandric was only called for roughing. At the 1:30 mark, Hawkins went off again, this time for hooking after preventing a scoring chance from Alex Beaucage. The first period ended scoreless, with only nine shots between the two teams. Toledo held a 6-3 edge in that category. The first minute of the middle frame saw the Lions get three shots on Bednar, but the Toledo netminder stood his ground. The first goal of the game finally came, and once again it was Trois-Rivieres who got it. A slap shot from the top of the circle on a 4-on-4 situation at 7:32 by Jacob Paquette put his team ahead 1-0. It was Paquette’s first goal of the playoffs, and marked the 18th time in 20 games the Lions drew first blood this post-season. Alex Beaucage picked up an assist. Hawkins, who had gone off the ice after getting knocked into the crease, came back on and tipped in a Tyler Spezia shot over Cavallin’s shoulder to tie the game at 1-1 at the 17:12 mark of the second period. It was a big goal for the Fish, who got only six shots on net in each of the first two periods. Trois-Rivieres had 13 after 40 minutes. Both teams came into the night with perfect records when tied after two periods: Toledo was 3-0, while the Lions were unbeaten in five such situations. One squad would leave with a blemish. The Walleye mounted a fierce offensive attack to start the third, getting 10 of the first 12 shots in the frame. After Nicolas Guay went off for high-sticking, Toledo fired five shots at Cavallin on the power play. Cavallin, as he has throughout the entire series, came up big to keep the game tied 1-1. The Walleye had to feel as if a covering was over the net. Their desperation mounted as once again, the Lions lit the lamp after weathering a storm. Vincent Sevigny scored his second goal of the playoffs at 10:45 to put the Lions ahead 2-1. Toledo didn’t quit, continuing to pepper Cavallin with quality shots, to no avail. Bednar went to the bench at 17:42 for the extra attacker, but Logan Nijhoff put the game away with an empty-net goal for the 3-1 Trois-Rivieres win. Toledo outshot the Lions 31-22, but went 0-for-4 on the power play. “We’ve gotta get to their goalie,” Hawkins said. “He’s good, he’s playing out of his mind.” So how can they flip the script? “The most important thing right now is refresh your body and get fluids in you and everything you’re going to need to build your energy level,” Walleye head coach Pat Mikesch said after the game. “That game took a lot out of both teams. I think the team that prepares coming out of this tonight gives themselves a head start for (Saturday).” Game 5 is Saturday afternoon in Trois-Rivieres, with puck drop set for 3 Pm ET. Photo Courtesy of the Trois-Rivieres Lions.
