Mavericks have work to do after 4-3 loss to Walleye Saturday night

by Bill Althaus, Grain Valley News


The Kansas City Mavericks have quite a mountain to climb when their Western Conference Championship Finals series resumes Tuesday night in Toledo. 

The Mavericks dug quite a hole at home, losing both games to the Walleye.

Toledo blanked the Mavericks 2-0 Thursday night and used an early 2-0 first-period lead Saturday night to hold on for a 4-3 victory.

Games 3 and 4 – and 5 if needed – will played on the road, where O'Had's Mavericks thrived this season.

“It's not a two-game series,” an upbeat O'Had said, following Saturday night's loss. “It's a best-of-seven series, and we need to get a win Tuesday night at Toledo.

“Our guys like playing on the road. There is a lot of camaraderie and time to bond. Right now, the most important game in this series is the next one.

“They took that early 2-0 lead and we came right back and tied it 2-2 (on Max Andreev's power-play goal).
“And we had a lot of (scoring) opportunities we didn't take advantage of. Our guys know what we have to do Tuesday, and I believe we can make this a 2-1 series.”

Toledo's Mitchell Lewandowski opened the scoring at 1:49 of the first period, followed by a Jalen Smereck goal at 4:07. 

Kansas City answered back, as Charlie Wright ripped home a goal at 7:34, and Andreev tied it at 12:15. “We know what we have to do Tuesday, and we're ready,” Wright said. “Our special teams were amazing tonight (two power-play goals and the penalty kill unit did not allow a goal when Toledo was on four power plays).

“We're going to face a big challenge and we're ready for it.”

Trenton Bliss  scored the Walleyes' third first-period goal to make it a 3-2 game going into the second 20 minutes of play.

Kansas City tied the game again at 1:21 of the second period when Casey Carreau scored the Mavericks' second power-play goal of the game.

Then, with just 6:16 left in regulation, Colby Ambrosio delivered the game winner.

Following his goal, he skated to mid ice and bowed to Mavericks fans, who did not appreciate the Toledo forward's brash celebration.

Kansas City's Jack LaFontaine, who entered the game with an 8-3 playoff record and 1.34 goals against average, stopped 25 of 29 shots.

Carter Gylander stopped 24 shots to earn the win for Toledo.

Kansas City defender Charlie Wright celebrates after scoring a goal in Saturday night's 4-3 loss to the Toledo Walleye in the ECHL's Western Conference Finals at Cable Dahmer Arena. Photo courtesy Eli Ralls