Walleye lose to Kalamazoo in shootout

Game marks halfway point of Toledo season

1/6/2013

The Toledo Walleye wrapped up the first half of the 2012-13 season with a 2-1 loss to Kalamazoo in a game that went to the shootout today at the Huntington Center.

Toledo rookie defenseman Max Nicastro scored the game's first goal but Kalamazoo answered with just 25 seconds left in the first period.

After three scoreless frames in the second and third periods and in overtime, the K-Wings scored the only goal in the shootout. Eric Kattelus had the game winner.

Walleye goalie Jordan Pearce finished with 21 saves to get the before a crowd of 6,548.

Toledo got on the board first as Nicastro beat Wings goalie Joel Martin (29 saves) on a nice one timer. The goal was set up by a perfect, quick pass from Willie Coetzee. Travis Novak also assisted on the crisp passing play with 2:45 left in first period.

But Kalamazoo took the wind out of the Walleye sails as Alexandre Mallet scored with 25.2 seconds left in the first period. Mallet got around a Walleye defenseman and beat Pearce over his glove.

It was the second shootout in a row for the Walleye. They lost 4-3 to Orlando on Saturday.

Toledo struggled once again on the power play. The Walleye went of 0 of 6 with the man advantage and had just five shots total on the power play.

Pearce made two quality saves to keep it tied in the third. The Wings went 0 of 3 on the power play.

Pearce had shutout the K-Wings in Kalamazoo on Friday night.

The Walleye (19-13-4) have reached the midpoint of the 2012-13 season with a 9-6-3 record at home and a 10-7-1 mark on the road.

The Walleye now embark on a five-game road trip. It starts with three games in Florida against the Everblades on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. The Walleye then play at Fort Wayne and at Evansville the following weekend.

Toledo does not return home until Jan. 25, when the Walleye take on the Wings once again.