Toledo Walleye Weekly Release No. 31: May 13, 2024

Regular Season Record: 48-14-4-5, 1st Central Division, Current Streak: 8 Playoff Wins

 
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

May 8 at Wheeling (7-3 Win)

May 10 at Wheeling (3-2 Win/OT)

ROUND THREE GAMES (All Times Eastern)

May 17 vs. Kansas City (7:15 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Radio 1230, BCSN)

May 18 vs. Kansas City (7:15 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Radio 1230, BCSN)

May 20 vs. Kansas City (7:15 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Radio 1230, BCSN)

May 24 at Kansas City (8:05 p.m. ET Fox Sports Radio 1230, BCSN)

May 25 at Kansas City (IF NECESSARY) (8:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Radio 1230, BCSN)

May 27 at Kansas City (IF NECESSARY) (5:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Radio 1230, BCSN)

May 29 at Kansas City (IF NECESSARY) (8:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Radio 1230, BCSN)

WALLEYE NOTES

Sent them home, country roads: The Toledo Walleye used wins on Wednesday (7-3) and Friday (3-2/OT) to finish a round two sweep of the Wheeling Nailers, sending the Fish into the Western Conference Finals against the Kansas City Mavericks. The overtime win on Friday matched last postseason’s eight-game playoff win streak, tying the franchise record for consecutive playoff wins.

THE MVP: Forward Brandon Hawkins led the ECHL with 93 points in the regular season, as well as posting the first 40-goal season in Walleye history. Hawkins has continued the torrid scoring, tallying eleven points (5G, 6A) in the Kelly Cup playoffs. Hawkins buried the overtime game-winner in game one of the series, for the second series in a row. The game-winner Friday made Hawkins the only Walleye player to ever score multiple overtime goals in the same postseason. Hawkins also set a Walleye playoff record with 13 shots on goal in game one of the Central Division Finals.

Super Sawchuk: Forward Riley Sawchuk did something no other Fish had done this year on Wednesday. Sawchuk collected five points, tying the Walleye record for most points in a playoff game (Brandon Hawkins, 5/5/23 vs. Cincinnati). Sawchuk had a stifling rookie season with 52 points (25G, 27A) and has added another eleven points (7G, 4A) in the Kelly Cup playoffs thus far. Sawchuk finished off his electric week by burying the overtime game-winner in game four to send the Fish to the Western Conference Finals.

Walleye wagon: Toledo won their final 14 games on the schedule, marking the season high. The Walleye have started their Kelly Cup playoff run by winning eight straight games for a combined 22 straight wins. This breaks the ECHL record for most consecutive wins combining regular season and playoffs, passing Las Vegas who won 18 straight in 2007 (13 regular season and 5 playoff). The Fish now chase just the record of 23 straight regular season wins set in 2015 by the South Carolina Stingrays for longest winning streak in ECHL history.

The showdown: The Toledo Walleye will return to the same spot as a year ago. The Fish will make an appearance in the Western Conference Finals against a record-setting Mountain Division opponent. This year, that is to be the Kansas City Mavericks. The Mavericks claimed the Brabham Cup for the ECHL 2023-24 season and look to be a big test in the 2024 Walleye Run to the Cup. The series kicks off on Friday, May 17 at the Huntington Center. The series is to be played in a 3-4 format.

WALLEYE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

Riley Sawchuk (3G, 3A)

WALLEYE GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK:

Jan Bednar (1-0-0, 1.82 GAA, .923 SVP)