Desperate Walleye remain positive, optimistic in facing must-win situation

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — With their backs squarely up against the wall, the Toledo Walleye remain positive as they focus on how well they've played so far in the Western Conference finals.

Toledo entered Game 5 on Saturday night against the Kansas City Mavericks facing a must-win situation. The Walleye trail the Mavericks 3-1 in the best-of-7 series, but the Toledo players and coaches believe things are bound to bounce their way.

The Walleye have out-shot the Mavericks by 30 shots in the series. The Walleye out-shot K.C. 37-27 in a 2-1 overtime loss at Cable Dahmer Arena in Game 4 on Friday, including an 8-1 edge in OT.

“We did exactly what we wanted to do. We gave ourselves chances,” Walleye coach Pat Mikesch said. “You can't get frustrated and find excuses. We came here knowing we have to win three games, and we still have that opportunity.”

Toledo has put 133 shots on goal, while K.C. has 103.

Mikesch, who continued to be on an even keel after the tough loss on Friday, said the series has been extremely tight.

“It's hard hockey this time of the year,” Mikesch said. “The opportunities of time and space are that much smaller. [Walleye forward Riley] Sawchuk had two or three good looks. We had pucks in the crease that we just missed. That's just good playoff hockey.”

Toledo put together a record-setting 22-game winning streak stretching from the end of the regular season into the first eight playoff games. The Walleye had not lost on the road since March 13, but the Mavericks have outscored Toledo 13-8 and have two road wins at Toledo's Huntington Center to take control.

Toledo forward Brandon Hawkins, who earned the ECHL's MVP honors, has 14 points (6 G, 8 A) in 12 playoff games.

“The best thing we can do is to keep getting the pucks on net. You've got to stay positive and find a way,” Hawkins said. “I thought we deserved [to win on Friday]. I'm not wanting to have moral victories or anything like that, but I think we did things the right way in a lot of areas. We had a lot of o-zone time, but it didn't fall for us.

“You understand being back up against the wall. You do have that fight. You've got to find a way.”

Kansas City coach Tad O'Had said his team did not play well in the first two periods on Friday.

“We were better in the third period and then we found a way in overtime,” O'Had said. “Toledo was very stingy. They took away our time and space.”

Kansas City goalies John LaFontaine and Cale Morris have been very good in the playoffs. LaFontaine, who won in Game 4 with 36 saves, has the third-best goals-against average (1.73) and leads the ECHL in save percentage (.954). Morris ranks second in save percentage (.941) and has a 2.73 goals-against average.

Mikesch opted to start the more experienced goaltender in Game 4, going with John Lethemon. Mikesch had consistently rotated starters Lethemon and rookie Jan Bednar. Both have been solid.

“I liked both of Johnny's games back in Toledo and, looking at the schedule here and the amount of days off, I thought it might be a situation where we can get that guy hot,” he said.

Lethemon (5-1-1) has a 2.17 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage in the playoffs.

“We're such a great team and to come up short the last couple of games, it's tough,” said Lethemon, who had 25 saves in Toledo's win in the series (4-3 in Toledo on Monday). “But there's no doubt in that room that we can go on a run here and put together three straight wins and take care of the series.”

Bednar (4-1-0) has a 2.37 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage.

“We have confidence going into [Saturday],” Lethemon said. “We believe in ourselves. We have a phenomenal team that can get the job done.”

Toledo has a plus-13 goal differential in the playoffs, and the Mavericks are plus-17.

“Both goaltenders stepped up and played excellent,” O'Had said of Lethemon and LaFontaine. “In overtime, it can go either way. They got great opportunities, but we were able to put ours in the back of the net.”

Both teams' penalty kill units have been outstanding in the series. The Walleye have scored the only power play goal, and are 1 of 9 with the man advantage. Kansas City is 0 of 9 on the power play in the series.

“Both teams are not allowing power plays to really get into their structure,” Mikesch said. “We can make some adjustments.”

The loss of forwards Trenton Bliss, Orrin Centazzo, and Mitchell Lewandowski to injuries also has been a big blow to Toledo's power play unit.

“We're missing some key guys, but the guys that were in the lineup have stepped up,” Lethemon said.

Lewandowski, who was hurt in Game 3 of the Wheeling series, was back in the lineup Saturday.

“We're a deep team and, when guys are going down, the other guys stepped up and they played a tremendous game,” Hawkins said.

Forwards Chase Gresock and Dalton Messina have been inserted into the lineup.

“We've got a lot of camaraderie together,” Hawkins said. “You're thought of as a brother. They're working just as hard as everybody else in practice and, if they're not playing, they're working harder to make the guys that are playing better. Everybody wants each other to be better.”

Bliss and Lewandowski are usually on the team's top power-play unit.

“We had our opportunities, we had our looks,” Hawkins said. “I had Saw cross ice for a one-timer and LaFontaine made a hell of a save. He's a tremendous goalie. We just have to keep chipping away.”

Toledo has averaged 33.3 shots per game, while Kansas City has put 25.8 shots on goal per contest.

“It's a quick turnaround,” O'Had said. “Both teams are banged up. At the end of the day, it's just finding a way.”

The Walleye have out-played the Mavs in large stretches.

“We played a great hockey game and we can't be hanging our heads here,” Mikesch said. “Nothing has changed on what this trip entails. It's finding a way to win three games.”