Walleye fall 5-2 to the Cyclones

2/15/2014
BLADE STAFF
  • SPT-Walleye16p-2

    Toledo Walleye player Joe Gleason (14) beats Cincinnati Cyclones player Byron Froese (55) to the puck during the second period.

    Blade/Andy Morrison

    • Toledo Walleye player Alden Hirschfeld (23) skates the puck behind the net against Cincinnati Cyclones player Phil Bushbacher (9) during the first period.
    Toledo Walleye player Alden Hirschfeld (23) skates the puck behind the net against Cincinnati Cyclones player Phil Bushbacher (9) during the first period.

    Toledo Walleye player Joe Gleason (14) beats Cincinnati Cyclones player Byron Froese (55) to the puck during the second period.
    Toledo Walleye player Joe Gleason (14) beats Cincinnati Cyclones player Byron Froese (55) to the puck during the second period.

    The Walleye saw their losing streak extend to four games tonight as Toledo dropped a 5-2 decision to Cincinnati.

    Toledo led 2-1 in the first period, but the Cyclones scored the next four goals before a capacity crowd of 8,200 at the Huntington Center.

    Walleye goalie Mac Carruth (8-12-0) gave up five goals on 32 shots.

    Cincinnati (28-18-2) got on the board first on Anthony Luciani's rebound goal 3:30 into the game.

    PHOTO GALLERY: Click here to view photos from the game.

    But Toledo (16-28-3) then scored two goals just 50 seconds apart to take a two-goal lead.

    Toledo tied it up on its second shot of the game as Maxim Shalunov ripped one by Cincinnati goalie Scott Darling with 7:59 left in the first.

    The Walleye struck again less than a minute later as Kevin Lynch scored on an assist by Pat Mullane and Alden Hirschfeld. Toledo scored two goals on two straight shots to take a 2-1 lead.

    Cincinnati then tied it with 6:32 left in the second as Trevor Lewis beat Carruth over his right shoulder.

    The Cyclones then took advantage of a turnover by the Walleye deep in their own end to take the lead. Jonathan Hazen intercepted Mullane's pass and fired one by Carruth for a 3-2 lead with 14:06 left.

    Cincinnati took a 4-2 lead with 9:53 left when former Walleye player Byron Froese scored as he tapped in a loose puck in the crease past Carruth.

    Hazen then scored again on a one timer for the final margin.

    It was the sixth sellout of the season.

    The Walleye are in the midst of playing five games in seven days with four of them on the road. The team leaves tonight to travel to Greenville for a noon game on Monday. Toledo then plays at South Carolina on Tuesday. The Walleye return home next Friday to host Orlando.