Indy Fuel Pit Stop – Week 4

THE FUEL LAUNCH OPENING WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER WITH 3(0-2-1) MARK PLAYING 3-GAMES IN 3-DAYS

INDY GOES BACK ON THE ROAD THIS WEEKEND WITH TWO GAMES SERIES IN MOLINE AGAINST QUAD CITY

THE FUEL TO PLAY 5 OF THEIR REMAINING 7- NOVEMBER DATES HOME AT INDIANA FARMERS COLISEUM

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS: 3(0-2-1) 6-12

FRI. NOV. 3 FUEL 3 AT QUAD CITY 4 (SO)

SAT. NOV. 4 WHEELING 5 AT FUEL 1

SUN. NOV. 5 TOLEDO 3 AT FUEL 2

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: (2)

SAT. NOV. 11 FUEL AT QUAD CITY 8:00 PM

SUN. NOV. 12 FUEL AT QUAD CITY 5:00 PM

NEXT HOME GAME: **** TUES. NOV. 14TH VS. TOLEDO WALLEYE 7:05 PM --- “ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT NIGHT”*****

THE FUEL IN REVIEW: Broaching the month of November with a rigorous regimen consisting of 3-games in 3-days with the latter two on home ice at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum, the men of the Indy Fuel attained one point in the league banner chase through a mark of 3(0-2-1). Under the auspices of second-year Head Coach Bernie John, the men of Fuel pro hockey warfare embarked on their weekend's activities gathering that one, single point in Moline, IL where they engaged the Quad City Mallards in an OTSO which resulted in a 4-3 bonus point for the hosts. Indy took a 3-2 advantage into the third period on the impetus of a late second period 2-goal thunderbolt in 1:58 when Matt Rupert notched the GTG before Cam Reid fired the TBG with less than :01 remaining in said stanza. Nick Bligh essayed 1-goal, 1-assist and goaltender Etienne Marcoux in his Fuel debut, repulsed 44 of 47-shots in an auspicious premiere. Returning home following a two-weeks' absence, the Fuel faced 2-games in 2-days, bowing to Wheeling Saturday night, 5-1 and division rival Toledo Sunday, 3-2. Tommy Olczyk accounted for the Indy club's lone goal Saturday before Ryan Rupert (SHG) and Mike Neal authored Fuel strikes on Sunday.

THE STATE OF THE FUEL: Entering the fifth week of the 2017-18 ECHL's 50th Anniversary Season, the Fuel, through their initial 9-games, have assembled a record of 9(2-5-2) totaling 6-points. They will commence the new week residing in 7th place in the Western Conference Central Division Standings. Indy is winless in its last 4-starts; 4(0-3-1) with its last victory coming back on October 27th in Florida where they inflicted a 5-2 setback on the Everblades, the lone loss incurred by the Floridians thus far this season. The order of business with the standings: 1- Toledo 9(6-2-1)13; 2- Kalamazoo 9(5-3-1)11; 3- Cincinnati 7(4-2-1)9; 4- Quad City 8(4-4-0)8; Kansas City 8(4-4-0)8; 6- Fort Wayne 7(3-3-1)7; INDY FUEL 9(2-5-2)6.

BACK ON THE BUS: After playing 6 of their first 7-games on the foreign ice front, the Fuel, following their brief weekend 2-games in 2-days home cameo, board the bus for yet another sojourn abroad this weekend, again, the destination for the Fuel nation being Moline, IL where they will battle the Mallards of the Quad Cities in a Saturday night, Sunday evening combination. The Fuel are 6(1-3-2) in their first half-dozen dates away from home bay and 1(0-0-1) thus far this season in the Illinois hamlet. It's a significant weekend road series for the Fuel-men in that it will be the club's last foreign ice journey for November.

WATCH PARTY AT SQUEALERS: The first Fuel road watch party of the season takes place on Sunday, Nov. 12 as the Fuel visit the Quad City Mallards. Join fellow fans at Squealers Barbecue Grill in Castleton to enjoy some great food and drink and to catch all of the action!

GRAND HOMESTAND: The Fuel's next home performance at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum will be Tuesday night, November 14th at 7:05 pm when they test, once again, with divisional foe Toledo. It will the Fuel's ever-popular “All-You-Can-Eat Night” on that special night. When they guest the Walleye on 11/14, Indy will be ushering-in a sizable 6-games' home stand which will not conclude until early December. The Fuel have listed a 10-games' slate for November with 7-of those offerings set for home ice and the remaining trio set for hostile territory. Indy has posted a 3(1-2-0) log through its initial 3-home games thus far this season.

PINK IN THE RINK/DO317 NIGHT: Help Fuel the fight against breast cancer on Friday, Nov. 17 for our fourth annual benefit game for local breast cancer organizations. Tributes will be made to cancer fighters and supporters throughout the night. It's also the first-ever Fuel Do317 Night, so take advantage of $3 beer and soft drinks, $1 hot dogs, and special $7 limited-edition t-shirts!

MARVEL SUPER HERO NIGHT: Help save the day at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Saturday, Nov. 18 on MARVEL Super Hero Night, as the Fuel try to defeat the evil Tulsa Oilers. Hang out with Thor, Iron Man and Captain America as they walk around the concourse signing autographs and taking pictures with your little heroes. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a Super Hero toy!

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Through the first 9-games of the current, inchoate campaign, the Fuel's twin brothers act of Matt Rupert and Ryan Rupert has wreaked havoc and harangue on the opposition competition. Always playing in combination on the same forward line, the dynamic duo enjoyed an excellent weekend of goal-scoring success. On Friday night in the land of Quad Cities, Randy set up Matt with a masterful, pinpoint arrangement for Matt Rupert's third goal of the year. Then on Sunday, it was a reversal of roles with Matt reciprocating on a snappy, snazzy centering pass that resulted in lookalike brother Ryan's and the team's first SHG of the season. For the game, Ryan was (1-1-2), earning the game's #2 Star. For the week, he was 3(1-2-3). Ryan Rupert is the Fuel's nomination for Sher-Wood/ECHL Player of the Week.

THE COOL DEBUT OF MARCOUX: First -year goaltender Etienne Marcoux made his first-ever service for the Fuel one to remember in November. Seeing action in all 3-games in 3-days the past weekend, the former U. of New Brunswick Canadian Collegiate star left a lasting, indelible impression with the total mastery of his craft. Starting 2 of those 3-games and inserted in a relief role in another contest, the winner of the prestigious Jacques Plante Award, symbolic of the major junior ‘A' QMJHL goalkeeper maintaining the best GAA of the loop, grudgingly surrendering a scant 6-GA in registering a record of 2(0-1-1) for the weekend. Moreover, Marcoux posted a GAA of a stingy and stellar 2.22 and a SPCT of .935. Marcoux, in his debut, is Indy's nomination for CCM/Goaltender of the Week.

MASTER MIKE'S MAGIC: The past weekend saw the long-awaited return of center Mike Neal to the Fuel lineup. Felled with an injury late last season, the 6-3, 220lb forward injected a major upgrade into his team's lineup. In merely his third game of the season on Sunday on home ice, he stashed the key, touch-in-the-clutch proximity against Toledo. In the process, Neal connected on his first goal of the season. As a late acquisition by the Fuel last season, he amassed a prolific 25-points in 21-games; 21(12-13-15). Included in his majestic output were 9-multi-point games, one 3-goal “hat trick,” and 2-SHG.

THE LEADING MEN OF THE FUEL: With the fifth week of the 2017-18 ECHL season now at hand, the Fuel list the following sparkplugs as their top scoring artisans; 1- Cam Reid 9(2-6-8); 2- Nick Bligh 9(3-3-6); 3- Geoff Walker 6(2-4-6); 4- Alex Wideman 9(3-2-5); 5- Ryan Rupert 9(2-4-6); 6- Matt Rupert 9(3-1-4); 7- Tommy Olczyk 9(3-0-3); 8- Reid Seckel 9(1-2-3); 9- Zach Miskovic 9(1-2-3); 10- Robin Press 7(0-3-3); 11- Nolan Descoteaux 9(0-3-3); 12- Troy Vance 8(1-0-1). 13- Mike Neal (1-0-1).

MIXED REVIEWS: From torrid to tepid might best describe the Fuel power play arsenal at this juncture of the campaign. After starting the season with a crescendo by making connection on 9-PPG in the first 5-games including three multiple PPG games in that aforementioned span, the extra man band has been rendered rather dormant for the last three outings. In that stretch, Indy's man advantage has gone 0 for the last 12 and 1 for the last 16. Meanwhile, the penalty-killing cast would appear to have returned to faultless form. Beginning the season with an impeccable 16-16 enormous performance, followed by a faltering 10-15 span, the Fuel PK is back on the beam, having foreclosed the last 5-in a row; 5-5.

MILESTONES STORY: Alex Wideman's (99) next scoring point will be the 100th of his pro career. Wideman (148) is 2-games away from 150. Geoff Walker (488) is 12-games away from the pro career 500 and 7-assists from 200. Zach Miskovic (90) is 10-assists shy of 100-helpers. When he accumulated 24-PIM in Sunday's game action on home ice against Toledo, defenseman Garrett Clarke has now surpassed the 900-PIM mark in his clamorous career.

FUEL FACTS: When Wheeling conquered Indy on home ice Friday night, 5-1, the 5-GA were the most allotted by the Fuel thus far this season. Indy's best goal output, also has been 5, coming in its last victory, back on October 27th in a 5-2 triumph over the Everblades. Nick Bligh (3), Alex Wideman (3), Matt Rupert (3) and Tommy Olczyk (3) all share the goal-scoring leadership for the Fuel; each with 3-snipes. Matt Rupert has never-ever missed a game since his acquisition by the Fuel. He is currently at 81-straight games and still counting, Through the first 9-games of their season, the Fuel have faced some very formidable, contending competition. In fact, the combined record for the Fuel against such contending clubs is a gaudy 46(32-10-4). The Fuel have outshot their opponents in 3 of their first 9-games this season. With their setback of Sunday against Toledo, the Fuel lifetime record against the Walleye has fallen to 18(2-16-0). The Fuel are 5(1-2-2) in 1-goal decisions and 4(0-4-0) when trailing after both the first and second periods. Defenseman Zach Miskovic carded a supreme +2 rating in his club's Sunday setback inflicted by Toledo, 3-2. For the 3-games in 3-days weekend, irascible, irrepressible Reed Seckel achieved a sterling combined +3 rating.

THE FUEL/THE FAN 1070: All this season, all the Indy Fuel action, home and away, play-by-play, all the way can be heard on the world-wide internet on 1070thefan.com. “The Voice of the Fuel,” Terry Ficorelli will describe all the action radio ice-side for the hometown team. This week's game broadcasts are on the slate for this Saturday night, November 11th and Sunday, November 12th, originating from Moline, IL where the Fuel will be guested by the Quad City Mallards. The game broadcasts are set for 7:30 pm and 4:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

INDY FUEL LIVE: This Monday night, November 6th the Fuel will present the second monthly installment of their own radio show, “INDY FUEL LIVE,” for one full hour from 7:00 pm to 8:00. pm live from Aspen Creek Grill in Noblesville. Hosted by the “Voice of the Fuel,” Terry Ficorelli, this week's special guests will be Head Coach Bernie John along with centers Mike Neal and Cam Reid. The next monthly show is set for December 19th.

ALL-STAR TICKETS ON SALE NOW: Individiual tickets are now available for the 2018 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic, taking place at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on January 15, 2018! Fans can secure their seats for the league's mid-season showcase by visiting ECHLAllStarClassic.com, the Indiana Farmers Coliseum box office or by calling 317-925-FUEL.

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