Walleye goalie Jeff Lerg returned between the Toledo pipes for the first time since last April and was greeted with a wild, high-scoring contest at the Huntington Center on Friday night.

Toledo and Reading combined for seven goals in a wide-open second period. The Walleye, who trailed 4-1 early in the second because of several defensive lapses, fought back to tie it early in the third but ultimately fell 7-5.

Reading's Robbie Czarnik scored the game-winner and his second of the night after a turnover deep in the Walleye end with 6:17 left in regulation.

IN PICTURES: Reading 7, Walleye 5

Toledo forward Dane Walters scored 2:27 into the third to tie it at 5, tipping in a pass from J.P. LaFontaine. But Reading's Ian Watters scored an empty-net goal for the final margin with a half second left.

The game featured fast flowing, end-to-end action with odd man rushes from both teams before a crowd of 6,723. Reading finished with a 39-31 edge in shots.

Lerg, who had been playing overseas before coming back to the team Jan. 28, made his first start in a Walleye uniform since they were eliminated by Reading in Game 7 of the ECHL Eastern Conference quarterfinals on April 26, 2016. Lerg, the diminutive (5-foot-6, 155 pounds) fan favorite, allowed five goals on the first 26 shots he faced.

The game was tied at 1 after the first, then Reading scored three goals in the first 3:22 of the second to seize a 4-1 lead. However, Toledo responded with back-to-back goals just 3:43 apart to get back into it at 4-3. The Royals regained a brief two-goal lead with 6:57 left in the second before the Walleye pulled back within a goal at 5-4 with 2:43 to go.

Mathew Santos, A.J. Jenks, Shane Berschbach, and Nolan Zajac also scored for the Walleye (32-10-2), who lost a second consecutive game for only the second time and first time at home, where they are 14-4-1. Jenks had a goal and two assists, Berschbach had a goal and an assist, and Alden Hirschfeld had two assists.

Walleye coach Dan Watson said his team had trouble getting the puck out of its own end and through the neutral zone. He said five of the Royals’ goals were scored directly off of Toledo turnovers.

“I blame this loss on our puck management,” he said. “The amount of turnovers we had was atrocious. It’s something we’ve been dealing with the last couple of games. When we manage the puck we’re an excellent team, when we don’t we become very average. You can see that with some of the losses we’ve had lately.”

Reading goalie Mark Dekanich allowed five goals on 31 shots. Lerg, who finished with 32 saves on 38 shots, said his energy level was good.

“I felt good. I was’t fighting it too much,” he said. “We just got caught against a good offensive team. They make you pay on the turnovers. There were a couple tough bounces. But I can’t tell you the last time I gave up six at home. There are no excuses. I made a couple of saves then and we ended up tying it. I thought we were going to get that next one. But then they made a nice play there.”

Late in the first, Walleye defenseman Simon Denis was crushed into the boards by Ryan Perry. Simon sat out the rest of the game with a lower back injury, leaving an already depleted unit with just five defenders.

Reading defeated the Walleye 3-2 on Wednesday night at the Huntington Center. The Walleye wrap up a string of five consecutive home games when they host Kalamazoo today.

Reading (27-14-3) took an early 1-0 lead as Perry beat Lerg. Just 44 seconds later, Santos scored on a long shot from the point to tie it at 1.

Reading took a 2-1 lead on its first shot of the second as Czarnik scored on a one-timer just 44 seconds in. Reading made it 3-1 as Chris McCarthy zipped one by Lerg from the top of the left slot. Steven Swavely scored just 29 seconds later as the Royals took a 4-1 lead with 16:38 left in the second, forcing Watson called a timeout.

“We got some life again,” Watson said. “But it’s so hard to come back and maintain that momentum. It wears you out. They are a good team, and I give them credit for sticking in there and getting that last goal.”

Jenks scored a power-play goal to make it 4-2. Lerg, who had only been on the ice three times in the past three weeks before practicing this week, then made a solid save on a solo breakaway as Czarnik got free shorthanded.

“Lerg was fine. But I’m sure there were a couple he wants back,” Waston said.

Toledo then scored its second power-play goal on a sweet feed from Jenks across the top of the crease to Berschbach, who tapped it in to make it 4-3.

However, Reading scored once again as Matt Willows converted from the left slot area for a 5-3 lead.

“Reading did a good job turning pucks over and that created offense for them,” Watson said. “We gave them the game. It was a total team lack of effort.”

Zajac pulled Toledo back within one at 5-4 with 2:43 left in the second after great puck movement from Berschbach and Jenks.

“We have to cut this off now,” Watson said. “We can’t lose three in a row at home. It’s unacceptable, especially with this team. We expect our leaders to lead [on Saturday]. They started that comeback tonight. We have to come out energized and ready for a division battle.”

FISH TALES: Walleye forward Nathan Moon was traded to Reading before the game. Moon was not in the lineup for the Royals. Toledo acquired him in a Jan. 13 trade with Wichita and he appeared in seven games, notching two goals.

Contact Mark Monroe at: mmonroe@theblade.com, 419-724-6354 or on Twitter @MonroeBlade.

First Published February 4, 2017, 5:32 a.m.