Indy Fuel Pit Stop – Week 18 (Feb. 4 - Feb. 10, 2019)

INDY FUEL WEEK 18 RESULTS: 0-4-0-0, 23-23-2-1 Overall, 5th Central Division

Wednesday, February 6 - Fuel 4 at Kalamazoo 8: The Kalamazoo Wings used a strong third period to grab a resounding 8-4 victory over the Fuel Wednesday night at Wings Event Center. Indy rallied back from a 4-2 deficit to tie the game early in the final frame, but Kalamazoo took control with four unanswered goals to win their fourth game in a row. Ryan Rupert logged a goal and an assist for the Fuel, who also received tallies from Quentin Shore, Robert Powers and Radovan Bondra. Matt Tomkins was saddled with the loss, giving up a season-high eight goals on 32 shots.

Friday, February 8 - Fuel 2 vs. Kalamazoo 4: The Fuel erased a pair of one-goal deficits, but the Wings were able to get a late go-ahead goal to complete a two-game sweep of Indy with a 4-2 victory Friday at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Kyle Thomas struck with just under five minutes remaining in regulation to break a 2-2 tie, before Kalamazoo sealed the win with a last-minute empty net tally. Josh Shalla and Mathew Thompson picked up goals for the Fuel, who were making the first of only three appearances on home ice during the month of February.

Saturday, February 9 - Fuel 4 at Toledo 5: Toledo's Dylan Sadowy scored the only goal in the third period to break a 4-4 tie, as the Walleye grabbed a 5-4 victory in the first leg of the weekend doubleheader Saturday. Indy skated to leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 over the first two periods of play, but Toledo was able to respond each time, before the Fuel erased a 4-3 Walleye advantage before the end of the second. Josh Shalla and Logan Nelson each tallied a goal and an assist for Indy, while defenseman Alex Brooks notched two assists. Goaltender Gordon Defiel turned aside 26 of 31 shots in the loss.

Sunday, February 10 - Fuel 1 at Toledo 4:The Walleye tallied goals in each period to finish a two-game sweep of Indy with a 4-1 victory Sunday at Huntington Center. Toledo built a 3-0 lead with goals from TJ Hensick, Charlie O'Connor, and Dylan Sadowy before the Fuel finally got on the board halfway through the period with an unassisted tally from Matheson Iacopelli. Goaltender Matt Tomkins suffered the loss in net, turning aside 31 of 34 Walleye shots.

INDY FUEL WEEK 19 SCHEDULE:

Wednesday, February 13 - Fuel at Cincinnati (7:35 p.m. ET, U.S. Bank Arena):

Indy continues its season-long five-game road trip with a midweek visit to U.S. Bank Arena to take on the Western Conference-leading Cincinnati Cyclones. The Fuel hold a 3-3-0-1 mark against their bordering rival heading into the eighth of 12 meetings this season, with the Cyclones winning each of the previous two encounters in Ohio. The last time the Fuel and Cyclones met up, Cincinnati swept a home-and-home series right before the ECHL All-Star Break; winning 4-3 in a shootout on Jan. 19 at Indiana Farmers Coliseum before a 4-2 victory Jan. 20 at U.S. Bank Arena.

Saturday, February 16 - Fuel at Wichita (8:05 p.m. ET, INTRUST Bank Arena)

Sunday, February 17 - Fuel at Wichita (5:05 p.m. ET, INTRUST Bank Arena)

The Fuel begin a stretch of four straight games against the Thunder with the club's first visit to Wichita since the opening weekend of the 2017-18 season. Indy and Wichita have not met since Dec. 9, 2017, when the Fuel rolled to a 7-1 victory in Central Indiana. Since Indy entered the ECHL, the Fuel have skated to a 2-3-1-0 mark against the Thunder, including a 1-2-1-0 record at INTRUST Bank Arena.

(NEXT HOME GAME - Tuesday, February 19 vs. Wichita - 10:30 a.m.)

OIL DROPS:

-Failing to pick up a point in Week 18, the Fuel fell to fifth place in the ECHL's Central Division standings.

-Starting the week with 49 points, Indy trails the fourth-place Kalamazoo Wings by two points, while sitting three points short of the third-seeded Fort Wayne Komets.

-As of Monday morning, only four points separate the third through sixth place teams in the Central Division.

-Indy's four-game losing streak is the club's longest since a similar four-game skid suffered from Feb. 27 to March 4, 2018.

-The Fuel have lost five of their last six games played away from Indiana Farmers Coliseum, getting outscored 17-27 during that span.

-Indy's record of 23-23-2-1 through 49 games is identical to the team's record at the same point in 2017-18.

-After 49 games last season, the Fuel found themselves seven points out of the Central Division's last playoff spot. Indy currently sits just two points back of a share of fourth place.

-Indy has scored at least one power play goal in three of its four games in Week 18, finding the net five times out of 11 chances with the extra skater (45.4%).

-The Fuel rank among the ECHL's top 10 teams in both penalty kill (2nd, 86.4%) and power play (T-7th, 19.1%)

-Forward Quentin Shore registered his 100th ECHL point with an assist on Josh Shalla's first period goal on Friday night. Shore has tallied 42 goals and 59 assists in 149 career games with Indy, Quad City, Florida and Manchester.

-Josh Shalla became the first Fuel player to reach the 20-goal plateau this season with his goal Saturday in Toledo.

-Shalla has now marked at least 20 goals in five of his seven seasons in the ECHL, and is now just six points away from reaching the 300 mark in his ECHL career (152g, 142a).

-Forward Radovan Bondra has found the scoresheet in six of his last seven games, tallying one goal and six assists over that span.

-Logan Nelson has picked up points in 11 of his previous 13 games since Jan. 12, totaling six goals and 10 assists.

-Rookie defenseman Garrett Schmitz made his ECHL debut Sunday afternoon in Toledo

UPCOMING EVENTS & PROMOTIONS:

Shaving Prices with Indiana Farmers Insurance: The Fuel are teaming up with Indiana Farmers Insurance to bring you the best ticket deal of the season! Starting on Monday, Feb. 11, fans can head to Ticketmaster to pick up select seats for the Fuel's home game on Saturday, March 2 starting as low as $1! A limited number of discounted tickets are available, so click hereto reserve yours before they run out!

February 23 Game Time Change: The start time for the Fuel's home game on Saturday, February 23 has been changed to 6:05 p.m. ET from the previously listed time of 7:35 p.m. ET. Please note that any previously-issued tickets for this game - including those from Fuel Season Ticket packages - may display the incorrect time, but are still valid and will be accepted for entry into Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Feb. 23.

Watch Party At Big Woods Speedway: The next Fuel Watch Party takes place Sunday, February 17 at Big Woods Restaurant in Speedway! Join fellow fans, enter to win prizes and cheer on the Fuel as they take on the Wichita Thunder at 5:05 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION:

Individual tickets for all Fuel home games at Indiana Farmers Coliseum are available at IndyFuelHockey.com, or by visiting the Indiana Farmers Coliseum box office. A variety of Ticket Plans are also still available for the 2018-19 season, call the Fuel ticket office at 317-925-FUEL for learn more today!

BROADCAST:

Catch every home game this season with a free online stream at IndyFuelHockey.com! Click the “Watch/Listen Live” button to hear Voice of the Fuel Andrew Smith bring you all of the action from Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Fans can also watch all 72 games at home and on the road live through ECHL.TV!

FOLLOW THE FUEL:

Don't forget to follow the Fuel on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (IndyFuel) for news, updates, contests and much more throughout the 2018-19 season! Join the Fuel's 5th Anniversary Celebration by using the hashtag #Fuel5 on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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