Sold-out crowd watches Walleye fall to Wheeling




2/25/2012 - (Toledo, OH)-Kyle Rogers picked up Toledo’s only goal of the game, as the Toledo Walleye fell to the Wheeling Nailers 4-1 in front of a sold-out crowd at the Huntington Center on Saturday night. The Walleye are now 23-27-2-2 on the season and 12-14-0-2 at home.

Wheeling took a 1-0 lead off of a short handed goal from Paul Crowder at 6:42 of the first period, shooting a puck past Walleye goaltender Alec Richards. Crowder intercepted a clearing attempt from Richards in the Walleye zone and shot the puck from the boards and in to the net.

Crowder picked up his second goal of the game, after tipping a shot from Andrew Hotham behind Richards on the power play. Wheeling’s second goal came at 13:23 of the first period.

Toledo would cut Wheeling’s lead in half at the 16:59 mark of the opening period, after forward Kyle Rogers knocked a puck in to the Nailers’ goal. Forward Joey Martin and defenseman Bryan Rufenach collected the assists on the goal.

The Walleye sent 10 shots at Wheeling net minder Peter Delmas throughout the first period.

Chase Watson gave the Nailers a 3-1 lead getting a puck behind Richards at the 6:38 mark of the second period. Wheeling added another goal at 9:12 of the second, after Kyle Bushee got a shot past Richards.

In the third period, after a fight between Joey Ryan and Ryan Schnell, head coach Nick Vitucci, upset by a call, was assessed a game misconduct.

Neither team scored a goal in the final period, lifting the Nailers to a 4-1 win.

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Walleye Wrap-Up:
-Walleye goaltender Alec Richards saved 22 shots and is 5-3-0-0 on the season.
-Forward Joey Martin has two points in the last two games.
-Tonight was the seventh sellout of the season and the 28th in the two plus season at the Huntington Center.
-Toledo returns home tomorrow afternoon, Sunday, February 26 at 4 p.m. when they take on the Cincinnati Cyclones. Spike and all of his mascot friends will at the Huntington Center for Spike’s Mascot Mania! For tickets, fans can call 419-725-9255 or visit the arena box office.

Game Story By: Samantha Hoot