It’s been an interesting few weeks for the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL.
First, the minor league hockey team — an affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings — made everyone’s eyes bleed by wearing Don Cherry-inspired checkered jerseys Jan. 23. Then, on Sunday night, Walleye goaltender Jeff Lerg made perhaps the save of the year in overtime of Toledo’s shootout win over the Fort Wayne Komets.
Lerg was down and out, and the Komets’Â Garrett Meurs had a lot of net to work with. But a desperation move, in which Lerg flung around his glove hand while landing on his back, saved Toledo with roughly four minutes to play in the extra period. The Walleye then won in a shootout, with Lerg stopping all three of Fort Wayne’s chances.
Calling Lerg’s stop the “save of the year” actually doesn’t do it any justice. The Walleye’s official website labeled it “one of the best saves in Toledo hockey history,” and you’d be hard pressed to find a better save even at the NHL level.
ESPN’s “SportsCenter” recognized Lerg’s save as the best play of the night across sports.
