TOLEDO, OH – In the first ever meeting between the Road Warriors and Toledo Walleye, the Road Warriors battled back from an early deficit to pick up a 4-3 overtime win on Friday night. The win improved Greenville’s record to 30-17-2 on the season.
The Walleye didn’t show any signs of being road weary after a two-game southern road trip to Gwinnett last weekend. Toledo scored the first two goals of the game before it was five minutes old and left the Road Warriors playing catch up. Andy Bombach converted his 19th of the season at 3:02 to put the Walleye up 1-0 and that goal was followed by Dominic Osman at 4:51. Toledo kept the pressure on, particularly when Andrew Carroll went off for a roughing minor at 5:43. On the strength of that power play, Toledo was able to build up a 10-0 shot advantage through the first half of the period, but the Walleye did not extend their lead and the Road Warriors began to chip away. On a delayed penalty, Jimmy Kilpatrick fired a slap shot from the high slot that was tipped in by Sam Klassen at 9:36. It was Greenville’s first shot of the game, but pulled the Road Warriors within one of the Walleye. Nic Riopel made 14 saves in the frame to help Greenville stay within one goal.
Once they shook off their bus legs, the Road Warriors started to carry the play in the second period. The Road Warriors out-chanced the Walleye on the power play 3-0, registered 12 shots on goal, and converted one of those power plays into the tying goal. It was a nearly identical play as the Road Warriors first goal, only this time it was Kilpatrick tipping the shot past Joe Palmer’s blocker with the shot from the point coming from Mark Voakes. The goal came at the 10:59 mark and was the lone score in the frame. Riopel had to be sharp as the Walleye tested him with 13 shots in the period, and he was on point with each test he faced.
The Road Warriors wasted no time in the third period taking their first lead of the game. The Walleye defense went for an untimely line change and left Brandon Wong all alone on the right wing. As he drove down the open lane he lifted a hard and high wrist shot past Palmer on the blocker side just 44 seconds in. Voakes earned his second assist of the night on the goal and Blake Parlett chipped one in as well. The Road Warriors did the best they could to make the lead hold, but an Evan Rankin slap shot at 10:51 pulled the Walleye even. Greenville had to kill off two Toledo power plays in the final 10 minutes to make it to overtime and earn the one standings point for the tie at the end of regulation.
In overtime, Toledo registered one shot quickly off of the opening faceoff, but a save by Riopel and a quick headman pass by Shields sent Shane Harper in on a breakaway. The Road Warriors’ rookie shielded the puck away from the back-checking Jason Lepine and beat Palmer with a low wrist shot for his ninth goal of the season 27 seconds into the extra frame. It was Greenville’s fifth win in overtime or a shootout this season.
Riopel turned in 37 saves in picking up his 13th win of the season. The Road Warriors were 1-for-4 on the power play and 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.
Mark your calendars! The Road Warriors return home to battle the South Carolina Stingrays on Friday, February 18 at 7:05 p.m. at the BI-LO Center. The Road Warriors are teaming with Rotary Club of Greenville to host their first “Stop Polio Cold” game. The night features the Road Warriors wearing special red and gold jerseys which will be auctioned off live following the game. Proceeds from the jersey auction and that night’s ticket sales will be donated to Rotary’s “End Polio Now” campaign. You can also take advantage of the Friday Family Four Pack which features four tickets, four hot dogs, four pretzels, four bags of chips, and four sodas for just $48! Also, for information on group packages call 864-674-PUCK to speak to a Road Warriors group sales representative.
Related
Mitch Beck
Related posts
Top picks
WOLF PACK PREGAME: ATLANTIC SEMIS VS. BRUINS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins open their second Calder Cup Playoff series in as many years against each other tonight at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence. The puck drop is set for 7:05…
WOLF PACK COMPLETE PAIR OF TRANSACTIONS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack Bryce McConnell-Barker Reassigned by Rangers, Maxim Barbashev Released from ATO HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has reassigned forward Bryce McConnell-Barker to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack from…
ROAD WARRIORS LOST TO RABBITS; SWAMP RABBTS IMPRESSIVE IN DEFEAT
SOLAR BEARS TAKE SERIES LEAD WITH OVERTIME WIN Orlando puts Greenville on the brink despite Colton Young’s 3-point night, Bobby Russell’s pair of goals By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits ORLANDO, Fla. – Despite a high-scoring affair, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits fell to the Orlando…
WOLF PACK TO PLAY BRUINS IN ATLANTIC SEMIS
WOLF PACK TO FACE PROVIDENCE BRUINS IN ATLANTIC DIVISION SEMIFINALS Foes Faceoff For Second Straight Postseason HARTFORD, CT—For the second straight postseason, The Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins will face off in the Atlantic Division Semifinals. This series will follow a 2-2-1 setup, with the…
WOLF PACK PREGAME: ATLANTIC SEMIS VS. BRUINS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins open their second Calder Cup Playoff series in as many years against each other tonight at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence. The puck drop is set for 7:05…
WOLF PACK COMPLETE PAIR OF TRANSACTIONS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack Bryce McConnell-Barker Reassigned by Rangers, Maxim Barbashev Released from ATO HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has reassigned forward Bryce McConnell-Barker to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack from…
WOLF PACK TO PLAY BRUINS IN ATLANTIC SEMIS
WOLF PACK TO FACE PROVIDENCE BRUINS IN ATLANTIC DIVISION SEMIFINALS Foes Faceoff For Second Straight Postseason HARTFORD, CT—For the second straight postseason, The Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins will face off in the Atlantic Division Semifinals. This series will follow a 2-2-1 setup, with the…
GARAND AND WOLF PACK ELIMINATE CHECKERS IN 3
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack CHARLOTTE, NC – Dylan Garand made a playoff career-high 39 saves on Sunday afternoon to help the Hartford Wolf Pack complete their First Round series victory over the Charlotte Checkers. The Wolf Pack used a five-on-five, powerplay, and shorthanded…
ORLANDO ENDS SWAMP RABBITS SEASON
Swamp Rabbits show life late, but Orlando pulls away to win the series BY: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, SC– Jaydon Dureau’s two-goal night spearheaded a 5-1 Orlando Solar Bears win over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Tuesday to win the South Division Semifinals…
SWAMP RABBITS ANSWER BACK IN GAME 2
Eberle nets game-winner; three multi-point performers shine in win BY: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, SC—Tanner Eberle broke a deadlock in a wild third period to headline the Greenville Swamp Rabbits’ Game 2 win over the Orlando Solar Bears by a 4-2 score on Monday…
SWAMP RABBITS DROP GAME 1 in OT
Spencer Kersten ends a 72-minute game to steal Game 1 from Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – Spencer Kersten ended a marathon goalie duel to give the Orlando Solar Bears a lead in the South Division Semifinals, 1-0, over the Greenville…
SWAMP RABBITS SCHEDULE FOR SOUTH DIVISION SEMIFINALS
Swamp Rabbits and Solar Bears begin a best-of-seven series this Sunday in Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced the full schedule for the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs…