Bison Blow 3–0 Lead but Edge Walleye in OT Behind McKay’s 35 Saves

IMAGE COURTESY OF ELLY MAIER

TOLEDO, Ohio — Zach Faremouth’s overtime game winner paired with 35 saves from Dryden McKay helped the Bloomington Bison outlast the Toledo Walleye 4-3 on Saturday night at Huntington Center.

The Bison were on the loose from the start in this contest, as they arrived out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, with all three goals coming in a nine-minute span.

The dominant offensive surge began three minutes into the game when Deni Goure scored on a rebound from Grant Porter and Sullivan Mack to net his third goal in nine games since joining the Bison from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.

Bloomington doubled their lead halfway through the period as Kylor Wall scored for his second point in two games, on assists from Mack and Goure.

Mere seconds later, a high-sticking penalty drawn by Seung Jae Lee gave Bloomington its first power play on the day.

17 seconds into it, the bison scored again to make it 3-0 as Ayden MacDonald redirected a shot from Goure, which ended the Walleye’s starting netminder’s night after reaching behind him three times in the opening frame on six shots on net.

On the other side of the ice, McKay held firm in the Bison’s crease, fending off all 13 shots faced in the first, while Toledo’s relief netminder turned away all three shots he saw to close out the opening stanza.

Much to Bloomington’s disappointment, the second period began with a quick Toledo score after the Bison failed to kill off a shortened penalty kill, making it 3-1.

The momentum swing led to Toledo controlling play throughout the middle frame, outshooting the Bison 17-6.

With 80 seconds left in the period, the bison lead shrank to 3-2, but Bloomington remained ahead through two periods, despite being outshot 30-15 through 40 minutes.

The walleye completed their comeback to open the third, tying the game at 3 a piece 79 seconds into the frame.

Having seen their 3-0 lead erased, the Bison did not fade, and around the midway mark of the period, Lou-Félix Denis and Lee generated back-to-back one-timer chances that were turned away, and Goure and Porter were denied late as the Bison were searching for the win in regulation.

With the game ultimately heading into overtime, Nikita Sedov sent a cross-ice pass to Faremouth, who hammered home the game-winning goal with just over a minute to play.

Sedov extended his point streak to five straight with the assist to match Ott’s five-game run, which he extended with a point earlier in the night.

The overtime winner was another milestone for two of Bloomington’s newest contributors.

Both Faremouth and Goure joined the Bison from the Greensboro Gargoyles on March 8.

Since arriving, Goure has tallied 13 points in nine games, while Faremouth has added three points in eight games, becoming a key penalty-kill presence and faceoff option.

The win allows Bloomington to remain one point ahead of the Kalamazoo Wings for the final playoff spot in the ECHL’s Central Division with nine games left in the 2025–26 regular season.

The bison are back in action looking to win the 3-game series against the Walleye on Sunday at 5:15pm before they return home Friday, April 3, for Fan Appreciation Night, presented by Chick‑fil‑A, with early‑arriving fans receiving a special giveaway item.

For all things Bloomington Bison, stay tuned to WZND.com.