Despite his knack for offensive creativity, Walleye forward Anthony Luciani is not a big fan of shootouts.

Luciani leads the ECHL with 16 points in 11 games, including a league-best 12 assists. The gifted goal scorer thrives in open ice. Luciani, 24, has collected 134 points in 144 career ECHL games.

Of Toledo’s 11 games this season, three have gone past overtime and into the one-on-one shootout rounds. Walleye coach Derek Lalonde has chosen Luciani to be his first skater in all three situations.

“It’s kind of an honor,” Luciani said. “It’s good to be able to even be one of the shooters.”

Like many players, Luciani would prefer that tied games be decided under normal game circumstances.

“It’s interesting for the crowd,” Luciani said. “But I like battling and competing. I’d rather play four-on-four or three-on-three.”

In fact, Luciani said when he and his teammates play video games a winner is never declared during the shootout.

“If it’s tied when the boys are playing on PS3 and it goes to a shootout, we always go to a new game and whoever scores first is the winner,” Luciani said.

Toledo (8-2-1) has prevailed in two of the three shootouts this season, but the Walleye lost 4-3 to Reading in the shootout on Sunday. Luciani also saw his 10-game point streak snapped.

Luciani’s uptempo and creative style has meshed perfectly with Lalonde’s quick transitional style. The Walleye are averaging 3.91 goals per game, which is third most in the ECHL.

“It’s fun,” Luciani said. “It’s go, go, go. You have to take care of the defense, but once you get into the offensive zone, you can have some fun.”

The native of Maple, Ontario split last season between Cincinnati of the ECHL and San Antonio of the American Hockey League. With the Cyclones, Luciani led the team with a career-best 53 points. He scored a team-high 25 goals to go along with 28 assists in 50 contests.

Since turning professional in 2011, Luciani has scored 59 goals and has 75 assists.

“I love scoring goals,” Luciani said. “I like to be the one who the fans come to watch. I like to make it interesting. But I’m not afraid to get on the penalty sheet. I will stick up for my teammates. I like to be feisty, aggressive.”

Lalonde said Luciani is a forward who “is hard to play against.”

“He plays fast, hard, and with passion,” Lalonde said. “We are happy to have him on our side now.”

Luciani said there are still aspects he needs to improve upon.

“It’s nice to say you’re leading the team in points but deep down inside you know you can do better,” he said. “I know defensively, I have more. I will never be satisfied.”

Luciani said he enjoyed playing at Huntington Center when he was with the rival Cyclones.

“The whole atmosphere and set up is top notch. It’s the best in the ECHL,” he said.

Luciani had two assists in Toledo’s historic tilt against Cincinnati on Nov. 9 that took 13 rounds and 26 skaters in the shootout before the Walleye won 4-3.

While Luciani did not score in that shootout, his jersey from his junior hockey days with the Erie Otters is in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto for his one-on-one performance against a goalie.

Luciani was awarded two penalty shots in the third period of an Ontario Hockey League game in 2008. He scored two penalty shot goals in one game.

“I scored on them both,” Luciani said. “It had never been done before. The next day I got into the Hockey Hall of Fame.”

The Walleye (4-1-1 at home) are off to the best start in organization’s history with 17 points in 11 games. The previous best start came in the team’s inaugural season in 2009-10. Toledo had won six in a row before losing in the shootout on Sunday.

Luciani has been paired on the team’s most productive line with Josh Holmstrom and Dane Walters, who are tied for the team with six goals apiece.

“Those two are workhorses,” Luciani said. “If you get in an open spot, they get you the puck.”