FORT WAYNE, IN – The Toledo Walleye fell to the Fort Wayne Komets 4-2 on Thursday night at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in game three of the Central Division Finals. Brandon Kruse and Garrett Van Wyhe each lit the lamp for the first time this postseason, but they couldn’t survive a late surge from the hosts and now fight for their playoff lives tomorrow night at the Huntington Center.

How It Happened

Matt Jurusik started between the pipes for the Walleye, just his second start of the playoffs. His lone start prior to tonight was game five of the Central Division Semi-Finals at Bloomington, a 2-1 loss.

The gloves dropped early between the rivals, as Reilly Funk for Toledo and Tyson Feist for Fort Wayne each took five minutes for Fighting just 2:35 into the contest. 

Toledo got their first power-play chance at 3:02 of the first when Josh Bloom got sent to the sin bin for Boarding. They were unable to convert.

However, following a double-minor for High-Sticking by Josh Atkinson at 7:25, the Toledo Walleye snapped an 0-11 and 294:43 drought on the power-play, as Brandon Kruse inked his name on the stat sheet for the first time in the 2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs, lighting the lamp and giving Toledo their first lead of the series. Colin Swoyer and Carson Bantle picked up assists on the tally.

The Komets were awarded their first man-advantage of the contest at 11:15 when Bantle was penalized for Holding, but the Walleye killed off their first disadvantage.

Fort Wayne evened the score at 16:05 of the period when Alex Aleardi snuck it past Jurusik.

A back-and-forth, very physical first frame left the two teams tied at 1-1, with the Walleye outshooting the Komets 15-11.

The second period was a lot tighter, as there were just six shots on goal combined in the first 11 minutes.

Fort Wayne got a chance on the power play at 11:51 of the period when Sam Craggs was called for Hooking, but it would soon shorten to four-on-four and an eventual Toledo power-play when Aleardi was caught Tripping at 13:00.

The Walleye jumped back in front 2-1 when a crowd in front of the net resulted in a goal for Van Wyhe, his first of the postseason, at 15:04. Michael Milne and Brandon Hawkins added assists on the go-ahead tally. Penalties and more four-on-four hockey followed, as McCourt was called for Unsportsmanlike conduct and Reece Harsch was caught Slashing.

The Komets rallied back in the final seconds of the period, as Austin Magera deflected it into the net at 19:45, restoring the tie once more heading to the locker rooms.

The Walleye outshot the Komets 12-9 in the second and 27-20 overall after 40 minutes.

The men in orange took their first lead of the night at 5:23 when Blake Murray buried a backside pass, putting the hosts ahead 3-2.

After Lewandowski was sent to the penalty box for Slashing at 15:32, Toledo managed to kill off a detrimental disadvantage.

Fort Wayne tacked on one more as Matthew Brown sniped an empty-netter at 18:41.

Despite the Walleye winning the shots battle yet again, this time 35-32, the Fish fall down 0-3 in a playoff series for just the second time ever (2015 Eastern Conference Finals vs. South Carolina).

Three Stars:

1. Blake Murray (FW) - GWG
2. Austin Magera (FW) – 1G
3. Alex Aleardi (FW) – 1G

What’s Next:

The Toledo Walleye head home for a do-or-die game four inside the Huntington Center, fighting for their playoff lives tomorrow night with puck drop at 7:15 p.m.