Fuel bow to first-place Toledo in first game of homestand

INDIANAPOLIS - After playing 8 of their first 11-games on the road, the Indy Fuel opened an extended 6-games' home stand Tuesday night, falling to Western Conference Central Division leading Toledo, 4-1.

The visitors claimed the advantage early in the contest when team top scorer Mike Borkowski triggered the game's first goal at the 4:12 mark, producing a lead the Walleye never relinquished. It marked the 9th time in their first dozen dates in which the Fuel surrendered the game's first goal to the opposition.

The defending Brabham Cup Regular Season Champions extended their lead to a pair when Charlie O'Connor connected midway through the middle stanza on a strike that proved to be the game winning goal.

Indy made matters close in the early stages of the final frame when first-year left wing Radovan Bondra notched his first-ever pro goal on a masterful arrangement from line-mate Matt Rupert. However, the victors would respond with the game's last 2-goals in the span of 5:25 as Christian Hilbrich and Austen Brassard sealed it for the Toledoans.

The Walleye outshot the Fuel, 39-30, and a combined 31-20 in the latter two periods. Collin Delia 9(1-6-2) sustained the setback in goal for the men of the Fuel.

Indy's winless spell has now reached 7-in a row at 7(0-5-2) with its last victory coming back on October 27th in Florida against the Everblades. On home ice, the Fuel have dropped 3-consecutively, mustering a mere 4-goals in that span as the league's lowest scoring team. The Fuel are winless at 5(0-3-2) within their own Central Division and have yet to score a goal in the first period through their first 4-home games.

The Fuel will continue this extended 6-games' home stand with a pair of appearances this weekend at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Friday night, the Kalamazoo Wings pay a call before the Tulsa Oilers make their second appearance of the campaign here on Saturday night. Both games, opening face-off at 7:35 pm.

Single-Game tickets are now available for the entire 2017-18 Fuel season at Indiana Farmers Coliseum! Fans can also take advantage of a wide variety of Ticket Plans by calling 317-925-FUEL or visiting IndyFuelHockey.com. Don't miss a second of the action during the 2017-18 season - follow the Fuel on Twitter and Instagram (@IndyFuel) and ‘Like' the Fuel on Facebook.

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