Lowney registers his first of the season in 2-1 loss to Wheeling

TOLEDO, OHIO - Toledo's bad luck continued this evening as they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Nailers. This was the fourth straight loss at home for the Walleye. 

After a tough fourth-round shootout loss in their last contest against Wheeling, Toledo entered the night in search of a comeback. With eleven shots on goal in the first period, the Fish came short of getting on the board more than once in those 20 minutes. 

Gordie Green had a few key chances for Toledo throughout the first. On a breakaway chance in the eleventh minute, he came flying into the crease, losing the puck and colliding into Wheeling goaltender Ryan Bednard in the process. 

The lone penalty of the opening period went to Wheeling's Carter Johnson for slashing. Toledo recorded two shots on the man advantage, but the clock hit zero with neither team getting on the board. 

Wheeling wasted no time getting to the penalty box in the second. Tyler Drevitch, who ended up with three penalties in the second, was called for slashing at 3:27. Halfway through the man advantage, Ryan Lowney netted his first of the season off a shot from the top of the right circle. Gordie Green and Brett McKenzie picked up the assists. 

Sebastian Cossa upheld the Walleye momentum after Lowney's goal. Late in the ninth minute, Wheeling's Tyler Drevitch was thrown to the ground by Cossa after blocking the goaltender's sight of the puck. Drevitch fought back as he got up, but was pushed away by Cossa again as Thomas Ebbing swooped in to help.

Drevitch was assigned goalie interference and roughing minors. Ebbing also served a two-minute minor for roughing. The Walleye went on the penalty kill one second after the Nailers returned to full strength for a Lukas Craggs roughing minor. 

The Wheeling penalties continued in the 14th minute as Chris Ortiz headed to the box for holding. Jack Van Boekel joined his teammate 40 seconds later after a roughing call. 

Wheeling's first goal came late in the second on the penalty kill when Chris Ortiz beat Cossa on a breakaway. The Fish were given another power play opportunity 24 seconds after play resumed due to a high-sticking call against Bobby Hampton. 

Toledo recorded five consecutive shots, three of them being on the power play, in the final minutes of the second. The score remained 1-1 after 40 minutes. 

It was anyone's game heading into the final period. Toledo went on the penalty kill early as Mitchell Heard was called for interference at the three-minute mark. The Walleye allowed only one shot on the Wheeling power play. 

The teams went four-on-four after Brett Boeing and Josh Maniscalco each headed to the box for roughing at the 7:09 mark. No shots came out of the following two minutes. Halfway through the final period, Wheeling's Sean Josling beat two Walleye defensemen and made it 2-1 in favor of the Nailers.

The final penalties of the night came at 11:54 when Samuel Tremblay immediately threw his gloves after Kurt Gosselin landed a hit on Félix Paré. Toledo recorded four shots in the remaining eight minutes of the game, but Bednard continued making key saves to lead Wheeling to a road victory.

The Walleye are now 2-1-0-1 against the Nailers this season and 0-3-0-1 at home, indicating that each of their four wins have been on the road. 

Three Stars Sponsored by Local 245:

1) WHL - S. Josling (1G)

2) TOL - R. Lowney (1G)

3) WHL - R. Bednard (31 SV)

Up Next:

The Walleye remain at home this weekend as they will host the Indy Fuel for the first time this season on Saturday, November 18, for a 7:15 p.m. puck drop.