Walleye struggle, fall to IceMen

11/3/2013

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Playing their fourth game in five days, the Toledo Walleye managed to get just 11 shots on goal against Evansville today.

Toledo took an early lead over the IceMen, who scored two unanswered goals to down the Walleye 2-1.

Rookie Marek Tvrdon scored for the second straight game for Toledo. Tvrdon, a 20-year-old from Slovakia, also scored in the Walleye's 3-1 win over Kalamazoo on Saturday.

Toledo had just five shots in the first period. But at the 10-minute, 20-second mark, Tvrdon tapped in a rebound to give the Walleye a 1-0 lead. Russ Sinkewich and David Gilbert collected the assists.

The Walleye then had a season-low two shots in the second period. In the third, Toledo finished with four shots on goal.

Toledo came into the game averaging 27.7 shots per game.

Rookie goalie Mac Carruth (3-2-0) started his third straight game and stopped 27 of the 29 shots he faced.

Toledo (3-3-1) wrapped up busy the stretch with a 1-3-0 record, earning two out of a possible eight points.

“With such a tough turnaround we just asked the guys to play smart, simple hockey,” Walleye coach Nick Vitucci said. “We did a good job of withstanding the early rush and making things tough on their offense, but they made the plays in the third period.”

Evansville (4-1-0) tied the game at 1 when Matt Lowry beat Carruth with a wrist shot at 3:21 of the third period. The IceMen took the lead for good at 10:53 of final period on Daultan Leveille's goal.

Toledo was 0 of 2 on the power play, while Evansville was 0 of 5.

The Walleye have four straight road games before returning home on Nov. 17 against Reading. Toledo will travel to Florida next weekend to play one game against Florida on Saturday and then two games against Orlando on Sunday and Monday.