The Toledo Walleye hoped to place a stranglehold upon their second-round series with the Fort Wayne Komets, and instead, they laid an egg on Friday, losing 3-1 in Fort Wayne.

Mike Embach scored for Toledo, and Pat Nagle stopped 22 of 25 shots, but the Walleye are now tied 2-2 with Fort Wayne heading into what will likely be a 6 or 7-game series.

The Walleye’s website posted a recap:

Walleye fall to Komets in Game 4

(Fort Wayne, IN) – Mike Embach scored his second goal of the postseason as the Walleye fell to the Komets 3-1 on Friday night in Fort Wayne. Pat Nagle stopped 22 of 25 shots and is 6-2-0 in the postseason. The best-of-seven series is tied at two games apiece.

Though each team had some great chances in the first period, neither team saw a score as Pat Nagle turned aside the eight shots he faced, and Michael Houser stopped the 12 shots that came his way.

Mike Embach (2nd) would find the back of the net at 2:48 of the second period to give the Walleye a 1-0 lead. Fort Wayne would strike 17 seconds later to tie the game 1-1. At 18:36 of the frame, the Komets would take a 2-1 lead with a shorthanded goal with a shot that beat Nagle.

Toledo would dominate in the third period, outshooting the Komets 12-6. The Komets would extend their lead with a power play goal at 12:47 of the period to give the final score of 3-1.

Fish Tales:

• The Walleye are back home on Saturday with a 7:35 p.m. puck drop for Game 5. Game 6 is set for Tuesday night in Fort Wayne with a 7:30 p.m. puck drop.

• Nagle stopped 22 of 25 shots and is 6-2-0 in postseason play.

• Mike Borkowski has an assist in each of his past two games played.

• A.J. Jenks (3G, 1A) and Shane Berschbach (2G, 2A) lead the Walleye in the series against Fort Wayne with four points in four games played.

The Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe also penned a recap:

For the fourth consecutive game, Toledo took the initial lead. Former Fort Wayne forward Mike Embach scored 2 minutes, 48 seconds into the second period.

However, the Komets tied it up 17 seconds later as Dan Maggio lifted a backhander from in the slot past goaltender Pat Nagle.

In a quick turn of events late in the second, Walleye defenseman Simon Denis was cross-checked from behind by Maggio as the Walleye were on a 3-on-1 breakaway. Denis crumpled to the ice and lay motionless for a couple of minutes.

Toledo was awarded a power play as Maggio was called for interference. But Fort Wayne struck for a shorthanded goal. Nagle stopped Gabriel Desjardins initially on a solo breakaway, but the puck then deflected off of Desjardins and trickled in for a 2-1 Komets lead with 1:24 remaining in the second.

The Komets then put it away, when Maggio scored a power-play goal with 7:13 left in regulation.

Fort Wayne goaltender Michael Houser had his best game of the series, stopping 41 of 42 shots. Nagle finished with 22 saves.

The series shifts back to Toledo for Game 5 at 7:35 p.m. Saturday at the Huntington Center. Game 6 is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. Tuesday at Memorial Coliseum. A decisive Game 7 would be played in Toledo at 7:35 p.m. Wednesday.