The Walleye were unable to hold one-goal leads four times on Saturday night but Toledo still persevered and took a 5-4 win over Gwinnett in a game that went to a shootout.
Adam Estoclet scored the game-winner and goalie Carter Hutton stopped four of five shooters in the shootout before a sellout crowd of 7,474 at the Huntington Center.
Estoclet also scored in regulation along with Harrison Reed, Bryan Rufenach, and Evan Rankin for the Walleye. Toledo (3-7-0) earned an important two points as Hutton finished with 34 saves.
In the shootout, David Gilbert also scored for the Walleye. Hutton stoned three of the first four Gladiator shooters and sealed the win with another stop on Andy Brandt.
"It's huge because we've been having trouble finishing games out," Hutton said. "We would have liked to close it out in regulation but two points is two points."
PHOTO GALLERY: Click here to see more pictures from the Walleye-Gwinnett game
After Gilbert gave Toledo a 1-0 edge in the shootout, Estoclet beat Gwinnett goalie Marc Cheverie through is legs.
"This is gigantic," Estoclet said. "We have felt like nothing has gone our way. We've been finding ways to lose. Enough was enough. Ten games in, we felt like it was now or never."
Toledo led 1-0 in the first period, 2-1 in the second period, and then 3-2 in the third. Rankin then gave Toledo a 4-3 advantage midway through the final period. But Gwinnett pulled its goalie with 1:58 left and the Gladiators tied it up 10 seconds later as Brad Miller scored with the extra attacker.
The Walleye went to overtime for the first time this season and Gwinnett outshot them 4-2 in a scoreless OT.
"Four times we gave up leads. But we kept coming back," Walleye coach Nick Vitucci said.
"It's huge. It's early in the year but we need some positive things to move forward. It's baby steps."
Hutton (2-4-0), who has started four straight game with Thomas McCollum called up to Grand Rapids, had solid positioning on his first stop in the shootout. He then had a kick save, stick save, and finished it with a glove save.
"I was in three or four in the [AHL] last year," Hutton said. "It's like scoring a goal for a player. It's a one-on-one battle in front of the crowd. It feels great to contribute."
Toledo had lost five of six coming in and was in last in the ECHL North Division. Prior to the game, the team acquired defenseman Ryan Blair from Cincinnati for future considerations and also traded defenseman Scott Fletcher to Florida for future considerations.
Rufenach remained on fire, scoring his fifth goal in three games. Rufenach scored a power play goal on a shot from the point to give Toledo a 3-2 lead. But just 1:18 later Gwinnett tied it back up.
Toledo scored on its first shot of the second period as Reed tallied his first of the year for a 2-1 Walleye lead just 45 seconds into the middle frame.
But for the second straight night Toledo allowed a goal in the final minute of the second period as Pat Galivan created a breakaway for himself and beat Hutton with 34.8 seconds left to tie it at 2.
Estoclet displayed good stick work to get around a Gladiator defenseman and then charged the net. The puck beat Cheverie down low for a 1-0 lead at the eight minute mark of the first.
Hutton made two good saves when the Gladiators were on an early power play. But Gwinnett evened it at 1 when Galivan scored on a rebound seconds after a Gladiators power play expired.
"[Hutton] never gives up," Vitucci said. "He has a great second and third effort. He is a battler. If not for him we don't have two points."
Toledo plays at Cincinnati on Tuesday with faceoff scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
FISH TALES: Gwinnett outshot Toledo 38-26, including 24-16 over the first two periods. … Estoclet now has a four game point streak with two goals and two assists. He is one of just two Walleye players that have a positive plus-minus rating.
First Published November 13, 2011, 3:21 a.m.
