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Toledo’s Carson Bantle fights for the puck behind the net.
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Walleye use two key power-play goals to post 4-2 home win over Iowa

BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR

Walleye use two key power-play goals to post 4-2 home win over Iowa

The Walleye powered past the Iowa Heartlanders by cashing in on two golden power-play opportunities early in the third period of a Sunday showdown.

Brandon Hawkins and Trenton Bliss scored power-play goals 25 seconds apart to lead the Walleye to a much-needed 4-2 win over the Heartlanders at the Huntington Center. While playing without several key players and battling inconsistent play at times, Toledo still finished a three-game weekend homestand with a 2-0-1 record, earning five of six points.

Forward Carson Bantle scored late in the second period, and goaltender Jan Bednar was a wall in net, finishing with 31 saves on 33 shots.

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Both of the key power-play goals came while Toledo was on a 5-on-3 advantage.

“We wanted to execute and take over the game and put it out of reach,” Bliss said. “There was a heightened urgency from us. If you get lucky enough to get two [two-man advantages] you have to take advantage of it.”

The Walleye (26-10-6) moved eight points in front of second-place Iowa (22-13-4) in the Central Division standings.

“They were the hottest team in the division coming into this, and credit to our guys for getting these points at home. They're so important,” Toledo coach Pat Mikesch said.

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The Walleye capitalized on Hawkins' first of two goals as he put Toledo up 2-0 with 14:23 left in regulation. Bliss's power-play goal then his team up 3-0 with 13:58 left.

Iowa broke up a shutout bid for Bednar, who had made 26 consecutive saves, on a goal by Yuki Miura. The Heartlanders scored on back-to-back shots to make it a one-goal game as Gavin Hain scored a power-play goal to make it 3-2 with 6:33 left in regulation.

Iowa pulled netminder Kyle McClellan (24 saves) with 2:07 left, and Hawkins scored an empty-net goal with 1:21 left to seal it.

Newcomer Nolan Moyle, a forward signed last Sunday, assisted on both power-play goals. Defenseman Jalen Smereck also had the secondary assists on both goals.

Moyle, who was playing in Russia and is a former captain at the University of Michigan, has three assists in his four games for Toledo.

“The guys have been great and made it really easy for me to help this team,” Moyle said. “It's everything you could ask for as a player here. The fans are unreal. The atmosphere was great.”

Bednar had 32 saves in a 2-1 win over Kalamazoo on Friday, snapping a four-game winless streak for the Walleye.

“I was really motivated to end that streak and get a win streak going again,” Bednar said. “The guys were blocking shots and playing the right way. The guys did a [great] job in front of me.”

Bednar was just 7:55 away from getting his fourth shutout.

“There's no disappointment in that. I'm just happy with the win,” Bednar said. “But I will say once we're in the third period, and I still have the zero on the board, I'll find myself thinking about it. But I'm just trying to do my job, stop the next puck.”

Iowa's Nico Blachman, who was an agitator all game, was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct early in the third. Hawkins, who leads the ECHL with 52 points (22 G, 30 A) in 42 games, responded.

The two tack-on goals were huge for a Walleye team that was 1-3-2 in its past six games. The Walleye were averaging just 2.0 goals per game while giving up 3.2.

“It's huge for us,” Hawkins said. “These can be building blocks for us.”

Mikesch said his message heading into the third with his team nursing a one-goal lead was to keep pressing.

“We wanted to stay on the pressure, and that's not easy with three games in three days. Those tack-on goals were huge,” Mikesch said. “We'd been a little snake bit on that unit lately, so it was good to see them put in a couple tonight.”

Toledo got a big goal with 1:31 left in the second period as Bantle scored his 14th of the season on a nice assist from Dalton Messina.

Toledo next hosts rival Fort Wayne on Friday and Wheeling on Sunday with a road game at Cincinnati on Saturday in between.

The Walleye have been playing without defensemen Chaz Reddekopp, Matt Anderson, Grant Gabriele, and Colin Swoyer, and forward Mitchell Lewandowski.

“We have to use this as a positive, that the young guys are getting that experience,” Mikesch said.

FISH TALE: The organization hosted its annual Paws and Pucks game. A portion of all dog ticket proceeds benefit Lucas County Canine Care and Control. The goal horn was not used for canine consideration. A total of 202 tickets were purchased for dogs.

First Published January 27, 2025, 3:06 a.m.

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Toledo’s Carson Bantle fights for the puck behind the net.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo Walleye fans lift their dogs in the air.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo’s Trenton Bliss takes a shot on goal.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo’s Brendon Michaelian is held back by the neck by a referee.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Girlfriend the dog watches the Walleye.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo’s Jalen Smereck takes a shot on goal.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo’s Brendon Michaelian brings the puck up the ice.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Several dogs watch the ice.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo’s Carson Bantle shot is assisted by Dalton Messina.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo Walleye players celebrate a goal.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo’s Brandon Hawkins passes the puck.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo’s Josh Nodler wall checks a defender.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo’s Jan Bednar blocks a shot.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo’s Trenton Bliss is tripped in front of the net while trying to score.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo’s Carson Bantle is held back by Iowa’s Bogdans Hodass.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo’s Tyler Spezia skates behind the net.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo’s Conlan Keenan takes a shot on goal.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo Walleye fans celebrate a goal  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
Toledo’s Tyler Spezia skates to the goal.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
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