Like clockwork, two storied and successful franchises with extremely loyal fan bases will lock horns when Toledo once again squares off against Fort Wayne in the Kelly Cup playoffs.
The Walleye and Komets are meeting in an ECHL divisional final for the third time in the past four postseasons. The blue-collar cities have pro hockey teams steeped in tradition, dating to the middle of the 20th century.
The rivalry resumes at 7:35 p.m. Saturday in Game 1 of the Central Division final series at the Huntington Center.
Toledo forward Kyle Bonis, who has been part of the past two playoff series against Fort Wayne, said the familiarity between the teams adds more intensity to the do-or-die nature of postseason hockey.
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“It's special,” Bonis said. “We've had some history and some great tests and great battles with Fort Wayne. So that leads to a lot of excitement.”
In what has developed into the best rivalry in the ECHL, many fans from each side make the hour-and-a-half trek to invade the opposition’s home rink. The franchises are the closest teams in the league, with just 106 miles separating the Walleye’s downtown arena from Fort Wayne’s Memorial Coliseum.
VIDEO: Walleye set to face Komets in second round
“Two cities within close proximity where both fan bases can travel to cheer on their team makes for an intense rivalry,” Toledo coach Dan Watson said. “I think the rivalry has escalated recently due to the recent playoff series and the fact that each team continues to battle for division titles each season. If you had drawn it up at the start of the year, both of the fan bases would have wanted this to happen.”
The teams have met 50 times in the regular season since 2012-13, with Toledo leading 24-19-7. The franchises also have played 12 games in the playoffs with the Walleye holding an 8-4 advantage.
The Walleye defeated the Komets 4-3 in the 2015 North Division final series and 4-1 in last season’s Central Division final series.
Fort Wayne and Toledo also have finished 1-2, respectively, in average attendance in the ECHL the past three seasons. During this regular season, the Komets averaged 7,784 per game in the 10,500-seat Memorial Coliseum, while the Walleye drew an over-capacity 7,600 per contest in the Huntington Center, where listed mark is 7,431.
The consistent crowd support makes a difference in the pace and quality of play, according to the coaches and players.
“We truly believe that we have a real home-ice advantage when we play here and our fans are on top of every team we play, especially a big rival like Fort Wayne,” said Toledo defenseman Simon Denis, who is in his second season experiencing the nuances of the rivalry.
The Walleye are 7-0 in the Kelly Cup playoffs at the Huntington Center against the Komets.
First-year Toledo forward Austen Brassard, who ranks third on the team with four postseason points, said he quickly grew to appreciate the adversarial relationship.
“It's very exciting,” Brassard said. “Both teams have great fan bases, so home ice will be big. You have to feed off your crowd.”
Both Midwestern towns have supported hockey for more than a half century. The early teams from Toledo and Fort Wayne played in the high-level International Hockey League, dating to the Komets' first season in 1952-53. Toledo's pro team at the time was called the Mercurys, which played at the old Sports Arena from 1947-62.
The Toledo Blades followed and won two IHL championships, both achieved with victories in the Turner Cup final against the Komets in 1964 and 1967.
But the franchises went their separate ways after the 1985-86 season, when Toledo's Goaldiggers folded and the Komets joined a different league.
The Walleye started play in 2009-10 and have qualified for the playoffs six times. The rivalry was renewed when Fort Wayne joined the ECHL in 2012-13.
The Walleye have qualified for four consecutive postseasons. The Komets are the only ECHL team to make it past the first round five straight seasons.
Toledo has reached the conference final in two of the past three seasons and Fort Wayne reached a conference final in 2016.
“Both storied franchises have had success and want to continue the success,” Watson said.
Longtime Komets coach Gary Graham, who has a 31-23 record in the playoffs (4-8 against Toledo), added to the animosity when he referred to the Walleye as “the darlings of the ECHL” last season.
In the 2015 playoffs, Toledo forward A.J. Jenks was suspended for one game by the ECHL after his knee-to-knee collision with Fort Wayne's Shawn Szydlowski. Komets toughman Cody Sol once expressed his frustration by almost destroying an exercise bike outside the Fort Wayne locker room at the Huntington Center.
VIDEO: Goaltender Pat Nagle ready to face former team
Walleye goaltender Pat Nagle and forward Mike Embach have seen both sides of the rivalry. The college roommates were teammates for three seasons in Fort Wayne before signing with Toledo this season.
“It's the top two teams in the league by a landslide,” Nagle said.
Embach said the Huntington Center comes alive at big moments, which has a positive effect.
“It's the inevitable. It's a collision course,” Embach said. “It's two of the better teams in the league. It's two of the best rinks to play in. They both have great fan bases. It's a great division rival.”
Contact Mark Monroe at mmonroe@theblade.com, 419-724-6354, or on Twitter @MonroeBlade.
First Published April 26, 2018, 10:48 p.m.
