Overall Record: 25-9-3-3, 1st Central Division, Current Streak: 1 Win 

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Friday, January 30 at Kalamazoo (5-1 W) 

Saturday, January 3t vs Kalamazoo (3-2 L) 

Sunday, February 1 at Cincinnati (6-3 W) 

THIS WEEK’S GAMES (All Times Eastern)

Friday, February 6 vs Cincinnati (7:15 p.m., Fox Sports Radio 1230, BCSN, FloSports) 

Saturday, February 7 at Fort Wayne (7:35 p.m., Fox Sports Radio 1230, FloSports) 

Walleye Notes

Another Winning Weekend: The Toledo Walleye won two of their three games this weekend in resounding fashion, outscoring opponents 13-7 and collecting four points to push the team to 4th place in the league standings, holding their spot on top of the Central Division. The Walleye won Friday’s game in Kalamazoo with goals from five different skaters and a clutch performance by Nolan Lalonde. They fell on Saturday at home to the K-Wings by a score of 3-2. They came back and won Sunday’s game in Cincinnati, winning 6-3 on two power-play goals from Tanner Kelly and a game-winning goal off the stick of Mitch Lewandowski.  

In-State Domination: The Walleye have had the upper hand against the opponent they play more than anyone else this season (15 times), posting a 7-0-1-0 record and collecting a point in each matchup this season, including a 2-0-0-0 record at the Huntington Center against their in-state division rival. Toledo’s power play converts at an impressive 47.6% (10/21), including three power-play goals on Sunday, making that the highest mark against any opponent for the Walleye this season. Toledo’s 10 power play goals against Cincinnati account for 29.4% of the team’s total PPGs this season (34). Tanner Dickinson, the Perrysburg, Ohio native, leads the Walleye this season with 13 points (4 goals, 9 assists) against the Cyclones. Other standout skaters include Brandon Hawkins (3 G, 8 A, 11 Pts), Riley McCourt (2 G, 8 A, 10 Pts), Tanner Kelly (3 G, 3 A, 6 Pts), and Denis Smirnov (4 G, 2 A, 6 Pts). Carter Gylander has won all three starts against the Cyclones this season, posting a .951 SV%, 1.32 GAA, and a shutout against the Cyclones. 

Like Talking to a Brick Wall: Walleye goaltenders have been a significant part of Toledo’s success this season as of late. The Walleye have gone 21 consecutive games allowing three or fewer goals, including four consecutive games allowing two or less entering Sunday’s matchup. Matt Jurusik, who made his debut for the Walleye on December 20, has posted a 1.79 GAA (the league’s best min. 360 minutes) since that date with Toledo. Carter Gylander has found his groove since his return from Grand Rapids (AHL) in late December, posting a 6-2-0-0 record, 1.90 GAA, a .928 SV%, and a shutout since December 28. Nolan Lalonde stands 4th among rookies in GAA at 2.37 on the season with a .911 SV% to go along with it, only allowing more than three goals in two of his 15 appearances this season. 

He’s Getting Closer: As the season goes along, Brandon Hawkins continues his chase for the Walleye franchise all-time scoring record. Hawkins only needs 12 more points to pass current Walleye leader Shane Berschbach and 13 more points to pass. His next goal will be to pass Toledo Storm legend Rick Judson’s Toledo ECHL record of 441 career points, needing only 60 more points to tie that record. Hawkins currently leads the ECHL in points with 54 (23 goals, 31 assists), scoring at a 1.35 points per game pace on the season. In Hawkins’ career with Toledo, he has more points in the first month of the year than any other, recording 77 points (34 goals, 43 assists) in the month of January. 

Showing Out: Walleye fans have packed the Huntington Center night-in and night-out as the team approaches 100 consecutive sellouts, bringing the team’s franchise-record sellout streak to 99 games with Saturday’s matchup against Kalamazoo. The Walleye welcomed over 153,000 fans into the Huntington Center this season. Toledo’s average attendance ranks second in the ECHL, drawing around 8,037 fans per game (Jacksonville is the only team averaging higher, at 9,264 fans per game). The all-time ECHL record for consecutive sellouts currently stands at 140 games, reached by Colorado from 2011 to 2015.   

Defending Divisional Wins: The Walleye will have a lighter workload next weekend, as they only have two games ahead of them on their schedule. They’ll play at home on Friday, welcoming the Cincinnati Cyclones for a third time this season (winning both prior matchups, including one on 1/25), defeating them 6-3 in their last matchup on Sunday. After Friday’s game, they’ll head off to Fort Wayne for a key divisional matchup, looking for a second win this season at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. The Walleye took the last matchup from the Komets by a score of 3-1 in Fort Wayne, maintaining a 3-2-0-0 record this season against their top competitor for the division.

Thank You, Fans: During Saturday’s game, the Walleye community came together in an incredible show of generosity, raising funds that will directly support the Walleye Wishing Well and The Victory Center, a local nonprofit organization that provides vital programs and services for cancer patients. Game-worn jerseys were auctioned off after the game and fans also purchased raffle tickets for a chance to win Player Baskets filled with the Walleye players' favorite items. Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Buffalo Rock Brewing Company, and our media partner, WIOT.

Walleye Player of the Week:

Tanner Kelly (4 G, 0 A, 4 Pts, 2 PPG) 

Walleye Goaltender of the Week:

Nolan Lalonde (W, 33 SVS, .971 SV%)