Indy comes up empty-handed in Toledo

TOLEDO, OHIO - The Indy Fuel (27-27-2-1) couldn't sneak anything by rookie goaltender Kaden Fulcher and the Toledo Walleye (33-15-5-3), suffering a 5-0 setback Sunday afternoon at the Huntington Center. The Walleye used a three-goal second period to bust open an early 1-0 lead, while Fulcher turned aside 27 Indy shots to register his first professional shutout. With the loss, the Fuel finished a three-in-three weekend set with a 1-2 record, remaining four points back of the Fort Wayne Komets and Wheeling Nailers for possession of the final playoff spot in the ECHL's Central Division.

After dismantling the Fort Wayne Komets 11-0 on home ice Saturday night, Toledo completed the weekend sweep over the Hoosier State with the club's second consecutive shutout. A.J. Jenks picked up a pair of goals Sunday, while Dylan Sadowy, Shane Berschbach and Trevor Hamilton each chipped in a goal and an assist for the Walleye.

It took only 1:20 after the opening face-off for the home team to grab the lead, when Berschbach picked up his 18th goal of the season. Attacking the Indy end in transition, the forward received a feed from Sadowy before flipping a backhand over the glove of Indy netminder Gordon Defiel.

The Walleye had several chances to extend their early advantage in the first period, but Defiel kept the score 1-0 with a stellar opening frame, stopping 14 of 15 Toledo offerings. The rookie goaltender finished the game with 32 saves.

Looking for an equalizer, Indy came out strong in the second period. The Fuel tallied nine straight shots to start the middle frame, but it was the Walleye who found the net first at the 11:13 mark with a fortunate bounce. Just moments after Fulcher robbed Josh Shalla with a sprawling save in the Toledo end, a Sadowy centering pass hit an Indy defender and snuck through the legs of Defiel to give the Walleye a 2-0 lead.

The two-goal cushion quickly doubled when Jenks and Hamilton combined for back-to-back power play goals in a span of 1:48. Defenseman Marcus Crawford found Jenks breaking toward the Fuel net, who beat Defiel with a deke in tight to make it 3-0. Hamilton completed the second-period barrage at 16:04, cranking a one-time pass from Crawford under the crossbar.

Jenks capped off the night's scoring at 6:17 of the third period, converting a centering feed from Jordan Topping from the slot.

The Walleye power play finished 2-for-6 on the evening, while Indy was held off the board on each of their two attempts.

The Fuel return to Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Friday, kicking off another three-game weekend with a showdown with the Cincinnati Cyclones.

Single-game tickets are now on sale for the Fuel's 5th anniversary season at Indiana Farmers Coliseum! Lock up your seat for every second of the action at Indiana Farmers Coliseum with a Fuel Ticket Plan - grab yours by heading to IndyFuelHockey.com or by calling the Fuel front office at 317-925-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.