GAME PREVIEW: FUEL AT MALLARDS
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12 - 5:05 P.M.
TAXSLAYER CENTER, MOLINE, ILL.
BROADCAST INFO: 1070TheFan.com, ECHL.TV
The Story: The Indy Fuel (2-6-1-1) try to snap a five game winless skid Sunday in a rematch against the Quad City Mallards (5-5-0-0) at TaxSlayer Center. Fans back in Indianapolis are invited to follow the action at the first watch party of the season at Squealers Barbeque Grill in Castleton, with puck drop coming at 5:05 p.m. ET.
The Mallards took game one of the weekend set by the final score of 5-3 Saturday night. Two goals from Nick Bligh erased a 3-1 Quad City lead in the second period, but Ryan McGrath tallied the eventual game-winning goal late in the middle frame for the Mallards.
Indy enters Sunday with just one point over its last five games, with the club's last victory coming via a 5-2 triumph against the Florida Everblades back on Oct. 27. The Fuel (6 points) sit in seventh place in the Central Division standings, two back of the Kansas City Mavericks and five behind the Fort Wayne Komets and Kalamazoo Wings, who are tied for third with 11 points each.
Roll the Blighlight Reel: Nick Bligh claimed control of the Fuel's goal-scoring lead with a pair of tallies Saturday against Quad City. The second-year forward now has found the back of the net four times in his last five games, his eight overall points (5g, 3a) ranking second on the Indy roster behind Cam Reid's 10.
Top Line Feeling Fine: Bligh's two goal outing was part of a strong performance from the Fuel's top forward unit. The combo of Bligh, Cam Reid and Alex Wideman combined for six points, 12 shots on goal and a +2 rating. Wideman opened the scoring Saturday for Indy with a first-period strike, while Reid marked two assists.
The First Noel: Saturday marked the professional debut for rookie forward Nathan Noel. The 2016 fourth round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks recorded one shot on goal and dropped the gloves with Quad City forward Sam Warning in a spirited second-period bout. The Blackhawks reassigned Noel to the Fuel from the AHL's Rockford IceHogs on Wednesday.
Scouting Report: Forward Sam Warning (9g, 1a) increased his season goal total to nine with a pair of strikes on Saturday, rising to a third-place tie in the ECHL goal-scoring race ... Four of defenseman Willie Raskob's five assists this season have come against the Fuel.
ECHL MEDIA KIT