Robbie Thomas
Holy Toledo! Part 2: Walleye Express
Up until today, I have seen every level (minus Olympic) of hockey out there. NHL, Triple-A, Single-A, Junior, Semi-Pro, College, and now Double-A. Unless I’m forgetting another class of hockey, I’ve pretty much seen it all. I drove to Toledo to attend a Toledo Walleye game. My second time setting foot in Downtown Toledo. I stopped at the same bar I went to when I went to Toledo to see the Mud Hens, The Ye Olde Cock N Bull. One of the barmaids there seemed to be pissed off. There was a male bartender wearing a University of Michigan shirt. We talked later, and he told me he was from Michigan, but we didn’t tell each other where we were from.
I also spoke to a local there who lived outside Toledo. I told her this would be the first Double-A hockey game I’ve attended. Trying to get all levels besides Olympic. She told me she’s a fan and attends multiple games each season. Also, she subscribed to my YouTube channel, I gained a fan (for now). It was cheaper to have a couple of drinks at the Ye Olde Cock N Bull, much opposed to the places in Downtown Detroit.
Drunk out of my ass, I made my way to Huntington Center, where the Walleye play.
I got in and was confused at first. While walking near the rink, a staffer asked me if it was my first time. I said yes, and he told me, “everything is upstairs.” Whoops. I got Chicken Strips, and I asked for fries but got potato wedges. Somewhat dissapointed but I ate those. I find potato wedges strange, but I battled against my ADHD and chowed most of them down.
The game started, and at the five-minute mark, Toledo scored. There were no penalties in the first period, and Toledo was dominating Wichita in the shot department, 19-6. Second period, Toledo scored at the 4-minute mark and a minute after that. The guy who scored the first goal, Ryland Mosley, scored the second. 3-0 Toledo! Witicha scored at the 14-minute mark, and finally, there were some penalties. I did some research during the second intermission, and Toledo has the lowest penalty minutes of the ECHL. Toldeo was still dominating in shots, about three times as many as Wichita.
3rd period was more interesting; Toledo scored two goals within about 42 seconds of each other. At the 11-minute mark, Toledo’s McCourt and Wichita’s Smith got into an argument, and both were thrown into the penalty boxes for two minutes. I saw Smith yelling at the McCourt while in the box. Towards the end of the 3rd period, the announcer told the crowd that Toledo broke a record in shots in a game. In the final two minutes, Wichita’s Stinil was tripped while on a breakaway, and he was awarded a penalty shot. Two games in a row with penalty shots. Just like the last game I attended, the goalie blocked it.
In the last seconds, the Walleye just camped in their zone and let the clock go.
It was a fun game to watch, and I’m glad I was at a game where a record was broken.
On my way back and within 10 miles of the Michigan Border, there was an accident on I-75, from the looks of it, a car had flipped. Hopefully, everyone was okay.
On both ways back driving on I-75, I saw the Meijer Distribution Center in Newport. I worked at the Shelby Township Meijer back in 2000 when I was 18. I was a shitty employee, but I was able to stay for 6 months. Can’t remember if I quit or got fired (the latter most likely). I was an asshole employee who pissed a lot of people off, and I ran my mouth a lot while I was there. Anyways, I was in Shipping and Receiving, and there were a few times where the folks at Newport did a crappy job stacking the truck container. Our bosses would complain to them about it. Then one day, we saw some graffiti inside the truck container stating “Store 65 are fags.” We were Store 65. I suppose they weren’t happy with the boss’s complaints. Passing by that place made me think of that.
