Fuel kick off busy week with first-ever meeting against Idaho

FANIMATION GAME PREVIEW: FUEL VS. STEELHEADS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27 - 7:05 P.M.

INDIANA FARMERS COLISEUM, INDIANAPOLIS

TICKETS: TICKETMASTER, INDIANA FARMERS COLISEUM BOX OFFICE

BROADCAST INFO: INDYFUELHOCKEY.COM, ECHL.TV

THE MATCHUP: The Indy Fuel (3-2-0-0) kick off a quick mid-week homestand at Indiana Farmers Coliseum when they welcome the Idaho Steelheads (3-3-0-1) on Tuesday night. The first-ever meeting between the Fuel and Steelheads is slated for a 7:05 p.m. ET puck drop on Pepsi $2 Tuesday, featuring $2 beer, soft drink and food options throughout the arena.

LAST TIME OUT: Indy opened the road portion of its 2018-19 schedule Saturday night, suffering a 7-2 setback to the Kansas City Mavericks at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena. After taking an early lead on a Kevin Dufour tally, the Fuel surrendered six unanswered goals - including four in the late stages of the first period. Quentin Shore added a third period marker for Indy, which saw its three game winning streak come to an end.

A SHORE THING: With his late goal Saturday in Kansas City, Quentin Shore has now found the net in back-to-back games for the Fuel. The forward now leads the Indy roster in goal scoring with three on the season, including the game-winning strike in the Fuel's 4-3 overtime victory over Toledo on Oct. 20. Shore's four points in five games ranks him in a fourth place tie among Indy skaters with rookies Brett Welychka (2g, 2a) and Robert Powers (1g, 3a).

INTO THE MEAT GRINDER: After a rare week that saw them only play one game, the Fuel's schedule ramps up considerably in Week 4. Tuesday kicks off a stretch of four games in five nights for Indy, finishing with the first 3-in-3 weekend set of the 2018-19 season. Following Tuesday's tilt with the Steelheads, the Fuel will host the Utah Grizzlies on Thursday, before hitting the road to take on Fort Wayne on Friday and Wheeling on Saturday. This week marks the first of two times Indy plays four games in a five day span this season, with club scheduled to repeat the feat March 8-12.

MEETING THE STEELHEADS: After opening the season against a variety of familiar foes, the Fuel are set for their first-ever encounter with the Idaho Steelheads on Tuesday. The Steelheads enter Week 4 in a third-place tie in the ECHL's Mountain Division, and are coming off four straight games against the Utah Grizzlies (who will be in Central Indiana on Thursday). Idaho finished 2-2 in the four-game series, with both victories coming in overtime. All three of the Steelheads' victories so far this season have come beyond regulation time.

Idaho has been led offensively in the early going by forwards Steven McParland (4g, 3a) and Justin Parizek (2g, 5a), while goaltender Phillippe Desrosiers has shouldered the bulk of the workload in net, posting a 2-2-1 record in five appearances.