The Toledo Walleye scored a pair of goals just 43 seconds apart less than two minutes into the second period of Friday night’s ECHL Western Conference Finals Game 1 to take a 1-0 series lead on the Colorado Eagles. Forwards Darryl Bootland and Alex Belzile each scored for Colorado in the loss.
Bootland opened scoring late in the first period, but Toledo would summon an equalizer with less than 20 seconds to go in the frame. A late penalty to defenseman Teigan Zahn gave the Walleye the man-advantage to start the second period and they wasted no time taking advantage. Forward Dane Walters put one past Eagles netminder Kent Simpson at the 29-second mark of the period to give Toledo the lead. The game-winner came soon after when A.J. Jenks beat Simpson on the shortside post. Belzile scored to cut the deficit to one goal with 2:28 remaining in the period, but Toledo goalie Jeff Lerg would not allow another goal on the night. Shane Berschbach added an empty-netter to seal the win for the Walleye.
Colorado and Toldeo continue their best-of-seven series on Saturday night. Puck drop is at 5:35 p.m. MDT at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio.
Featured Image Credit: Colorado Eagles