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Toledo’s Randy Gazzola, left, and Mitchell Heard celebrate Heard’s goal.
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Newcomers spark Walleye to 4-3 win over Indy

BLADE/KURT STEISS

Newcomers spark Walleye to 4-3 win over Indy

Guided by a pair of newcomers, including rookie goaltender Zach Driscoll, the Toledo Walleye skated past the Indy Fuel 4-3 on Saturday night.

Driscoll, who recently wrapped up his college career at the University of North Dakota, earned the win in his pro debut. The 25-year-old finished with 38 saves on 41 shots.

Another newly acquired player, forward Jesse Mychan, had a goal and an assist as well as a fight.

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Mychan's linemates, veteran forwards Mitchell Heard and Matt Berry, also had big nights. Heard scored two goals, while Matt Berry had four assists.

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Hand injury does little to slow Walleye forward Brandon Hawkins

“I was a little nervous with my first pro game,” said Driscoll, a native of Apple Valley, Minn. “But I've been really blessed throughout my career to play in big games. So I approached it as just another hockey game. The guys really battled in front of me tonight. It was a lot of fun. I had a lot of people watching back home. Everyone was sad they couldn't be here. It's not easy to get here from Minneapolis. I got a lot of texts from my family and friends and it means lot.”

Indy forward Darien Craighead scored two goals and goalie Justin Kapelmaster had 31 saves.

With the game in the balance, Driscoll made 12 saves in the third period and also had 17 stops in the second.

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“He played excellent. I liked everything I saw,” Walleye coach Dan Watson said. “He competed. He tracked pucks well. You could see how athletic he is. He made a couple of big times saves with his paddle. He gave us a chance to win the game. I'm happy he got his first pro win.”

With the game tied at 3 after two periods, Heard scored his second of the game on an assist from Mychan 1:25 into the third period.

Mychan, who was acquired in a trade with Kansas City on Monday in exchange for forward Keeghan Howdeshell, scored the second goal of the game as Toledo went up 2-0. Mychan also got into a fight with 11:56 left.

“It was very intimidating coming in here [as a visitor],” Mychan said. “We have a really good crowd here. Playing against it on the road was never easy. I'm glad to be on this side now.”

Toledo goalie Zach Driscoll looks on during a brief break in action.
Kurt Steiss
Photo Gallery: Walleye 4, Indy 3

Defenseman Ryan Lowney also scored before a sellout crowd of 7,845 at the Huntington Center.

The Walleye (44-17-3), who lead the ECHL with 91 points and have clinched a playoff spot, have won four in a row and six of their last seven. Toledo is now looking to win the Central Division title for home-ice advantage in the first two rounds.

“It's that time of year you have to buckle down,” Heard said. “Everyone is coming at us. We are the best team in the league and we get everyone's best. We just have to focus on ourselves.”

The Fuel (29-31-5) came into the game looking to clinch the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division. Indy out-shot the Walleye 41-35.

“It was kind of a see-saw battle and we traded chances all game long,” Watson said. “We had a big third period, managing the puck. When you're playing another desperate team like that, to come away with another home win was big.”

A scary moment occurred late in the second period when Indy's Seamus Malone was inadvertently cut in the face by Lowney's skate. Leaving a trail of blood on the ice, Malone was rushed right to the Walleye locker room and then taken to a local hospital by ambulance. The second period was ended early with 10.9 seconds left due to the injury.

Indy officials said after the game that Malone was doing well. He was alert and receiving further medical treatment.

Driscoll had made the save of the game just moments earlier, preventing a power-play goal by robbing Spencer Watson on the doorstep with 1:20 left in the second period.

“This place is electric,” said Driscoll, who was still wearing his green-colored college helmet and pads. “I've talked to a lot of guys and everyone said this was the best place to play in this league. The crowd was into it, which helps us and it was a lot of fun. It was nice to back up yesterday to see everything that was going on.”

The young goalie came up with another huge save on Watson's solo breakaway with the Walleye up 2-1 in the first period and made another good save with just over five minutes left in the first period. He made another good stop on Jacob LeGuerrier moments later.

Driscoll and Mychan were two of four players added to the roster this week along with defenseman Cam Clarke and forward Quinn Preston.

“It's a great room,” Mychan said. “Those are hard to find in this league and those are the ones that win championships. They welcomed me in with open arms and I'm extremely grateful for that.”

The Walleye struck 7:06 into the game as Heard capped a crisp passing play. Defenseman Gordi Myer set it up with a good play in his end to clear the puck to Berry. He then broke free with Heard, who made a nice hesitation move to put Toledo on the board.

Watson said Heard, who now has 16 goals and 38 points, is emotional and a very effective player.

“He's the kind of player you need to win in the playoffs,” Watson said. “He has that grit and sandpaper to his game and can play at a high level.”

Mychan, who went from a last-place team to a first-place team, then scored his first goal in a Walleye uniform to make it 2-0 with 3:39 left in the first period. Berry and Randy Gazzola earned the assists on a goalmouth scramble.

Driscoll gave up a goal with 1:31 left in the first period. Driscoll made a good save on the first shot by Craighead from point-blank range, but Craighead then scored on his own rebound to make it 2-1.

Lowney scored on a perfectly placed shot to the upper left corner of the net on a shot from the slot, beating Kapelmaster over his right shoulder to put Toledo up 3-1 with 8:54 left in the second.

Indy pulled back within a goal as Craighead scored his second of the game on a great pass by Malone to Craighead, who punched it into an open net to make it 3-2 with 7:24 left in the second period.

Indy tied it up a great individual move by Chad Yetman, who got around Lowney to set up his own solo breakaway and finished it to knot it at 3 with 4:57 left in the second period.

The Walleye shut down the Indy power play as the Fuel went 0 for 4, including one late in the game.

“That was huge,” Watson said. “These are little tests and things we can learn from for the playoffs. We will have to kill penalties late in games.”

The Walleye wrap up a three-game homestand against Kalamazoo — another Central Division foe looking to earn a playoff berth — on Sunday at 5:15 p.m.

“It doesn't get any easier,” Watson said. “Kalamazoo is in a dogfight to get in the playoffs. They will be hungry. We have to match their intensity. It's another good test for us.”

FISH TALES: Public address announcer Jim Pollock made his debut at the Huntington Center, filling in for Bobb Vergiels. … The team released forward Devon Paliani before the game. … Toledo improved to 8-1-0 against the Fuel. On March 14, Fuel coach Doug Christiansen and the organization mutually agreed to part ways. Assistant coach Duncan Dalmao was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

First Published April 3, 2022, 3:24 a.m.

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Toledo’s Randy Gazzola, left, and Mitchell Heard celebrate Heard’s goal.  (BLADE/KURT STEISS)
Toledo goalie Zach Driscoll defends the goal.  (BLADE/KURT STEISS)
Toledo’s Sam Craggs tries to take a shot.  (BLADE/KURT STEISS)
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