Fort Wayne beat the Toledo Walleye 4-2 in Game 3 of the ECHL Central Division Finals on Thursday night, taking a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and moving within one win of a sweep.
Blake Murray broke a 2-all tie in the third period, and Matt Brown added an empty-net goal late to seal the win. Fort Wayne can clinch the second-round series Friday night in Toledo, where Game 4 is set for 7:15 pm at the Huntington Center.
The matchup has quickly swung in Fort Wayne’s favor after Toledo found itself in a familiar spot. Last year in the same round, the Walleye erased a 2-1 deficit and eliminated Fort Wayne after the Komets had led the series two games to one. This time, the pressure is on Toledo to extend the matchup after dropping the first three games.
Game 4 gives the Walleye their first chance to answer back at home. If Toledo wins, Game 5 would follow Saturday night in Toledo. If Fort Wayne closes it out, the series is over. If not, Games 6 and 7 would return to Fort Wayne on Tuesday, May 19, and Wednesday, May 20.
For Fort Wayne, the opportunity is straightforward: finish what it started. For Toledo, the task is sharper and more immediate. Win Friday, and the series lives on. Lose, and the season ends one night after the Walleye returned home with their backs against the wall.
