Toledo fends off Chicago

Scott Wietecha of Chicago goes down after battling for the puck with the Walleye’s Bryan Rufenach in the first period Friday night before 6,108 fans at the Huntington Center. After starting the season with three losses against Chicago, Toledo has now beaten it six straight times. THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER Enlarge | Photo Reprints

The Walleye haven’t had the number of too many teams this season, but Toledo seems to save its best hockey for divisional rival Chicago.

The Walleye knocked off the Express for the sixth straight time with a 3-2 win on Friday night before 6,108 spectators at Huntington Center.

GALLERY: Toledo Walleye vs. Chicago Express

But Toledo first saw a 2-0 lead disintegrate into a second-period tie before Adam Estoclet notched the game-winner with a power-play goal with 4:02 left in the game.

The Walleye (17-20-3) earned two valuable points entering a pivotal three-game weekend. They remain in last place in the North Division put pulled within four points of second-place Chicago (17-17-7).

“For whatever reason when we play this team it brings out the best in us,” Walleye coach Nick Vitucci said. “It raises our competition level.”

Toledo started the season 0-3-0 against the Express but is now 6-3-0 against them.

“Confidence is a big thing, and they’re a team we are confident against now,” Vitucci said. “I wish every opponent we played wore Chicago Express jerseys.”

Toledo goalie Rob Nolan started the season in an Express jersey before the Walleye acquired him in a trade on Jan. 4. Nolan was solid, even fantastic at times, making 27 saves. He made six saves on point-blank shots from the slot.

“It was a big game for me, I’m not going to lie,” said Nolan, who had a 6-8-1 record with Chicago and is now 3-3-1 with Toledo. “I just try to play simple and play bigger than I am. The guys played great in front of me. I’ll do anything I can to help get the guys going. It was a big win for us.”

Nick Oslund and Harrison Reed scored to put Toledo ahead by two goals. But Mike Embach and Chad Painchaud each tallied second-period goals to tie it at 2.

Toledo got a big break when Chicago defenseman Aaron Marvin shot the puck over the glass with 4:11 left in the game, leading to a delay of game and a Walleye power play.

“We were fortunate the power play was able to capitalize on that,” Vitucci said.

Estoclet made a great shot and placed the puck just inside the far post. Estoclet has collected 19 points in 20 games with Toledo.

The Walleye had gone 0 of 13 on the power play in their last three games.

“We’ve been struggling on the power play, and it’s been frustrating,” Estoclet said. “So it was nice to get our confidence back here. I was alone with the goalie there. This is huge.”

Nolan said the team worked on special teams this week and Estoclet had beat him consistently.

“It was nice to see him terrorize someone else,” Nolan said.

Chicago goalie Peter Mannino finished with 26 saves. Express coach Steve Martinson said he was frustrated by a bad penalty taken by Chaz Johnson and the delay of game infraction.

“Right now we have to win some games to make it a better rivalry,” Martinson said. “I’d like to have bad blood with everybody. So to have it with Toledo is fine with me.”

Things heated up in the second period when Johnson tackled Bryan Rufenach from behind and punched Rufenach as he went to the ice. Toledo’s newcomer Riley Emmerson then got involved before the refs broke up the scrum.

“I don’t know what the guy did, but you can’t attack a guy and start swinging at him,” Martinson said. “That led to a 5 on 3.”

Johnson was issued a game misconduct penalty for his actions and likely faces suspension.

Toledo cashed in and took a 2-0 lead as Reed scored a power-play goal. Reed collected a rebound, and his shot somehow made it through a crowd in front of Mannino with 11:09 left in the second.

Exactly four minutes into the game, Oslund put Toledo up 1-0 on a feed from behind the net from Rufenach. Oslund scored into an open net on a quick one-timer.

Vitucci said Nolan made key saves, especially early, which gave everyone confidence.

“He made some big saves, and you always think that is going to happen when a goalie is playing his former team,” Vitucci said.

The Walleye host Reading at 7 p.m. Saturday before traveling to Johnstown to play Wheeling on Sunday.

“We need at least four points this weekend,” Estoclet said. “We are at the bottom of the heap, and there are 11 teams ahead of us. So we can’t be giving away many more points.”

FISH TALES: Toledo’s Jeremy Tucker got into a fight with Darcy Campbell in the second period, and Campbell got the best of Tucker in the scuffle. … Saturday night is “Hockey Heritage Night,” and former Toledo pro players Ted Tucker, Doug Mahood, Greg Jablonski, Derek Booth and Bill Joyce are expected to attend. … Nolan made a nice sliding pad save to keep the 1-0 lead near the midpoint of the first period. He also made a nice leg save early in the game and made two saves in the first 51 seconds.

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