Indy Fuel Pit Stop: Week 21 (Feb. 25 - March 3, 2019)

INDY FUEL WEEK 21 RESULTS: 1-2-0-0, 27-27-2-1 Overall, 6th Central Division

Friday, March 1 - Fuel 2 at Cincinnati 8: The league-leading Cincinnati Cyclones broke open a 4-2 game with a four-goal third period, routing the Fuel 8-2 Friday night at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. The Cyclones tallied four power play goals over the last 10 minutes of regulation to pull away with the home victory, with Pascal Aquin (2g, 2a) and Vasili Glotov (1g, 3a) each tallying four points. Josh Shalla and Woody Hudson tallied back-to-back goals in the second period to cut into a 3-0 deficit, but Indy was unable to get any closer.

Saturday, March 2 - Fuel 5 vs. Kalamazoo 1: The Fuel jumped out to a quick lead and never looked back on Saturday night, skating to a convincing 5-1 win over the Kalamazoo Wings in front of another large home crowd at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Goals from Olivier Labelle, Matt Rupert and Josh Shalla helped Indy build a 3-0 lead in the first period, before adding third-period tallies from Ryan Rupert and Shalla to seal the important victory. Matt Tomkins stopped 20 shots to log his 22nd win of the season, while the Fuel held a suffocating 45-21 edge in the shot column.

Sunday, March 3 - Fuel 0 at Toledo 5: Goaltender Kaden Fulcher stopped 27 shots as the Toledo Walleye blanked the Fuel 5-0 Sunday afternoon at the Huntington Center. Toledo used three goals in the second period - including a pair of power play tallies - to stretch an early 1-0 lead. Fuel netminder Gordon Defiel turned aside 32 shots in the loss, 14 of his saves coming in the first period.

INDY FUEL WEEK 22 SCHEDULE:

Friday, March 8 - Fuel vs. Cincinnati (7:35 p.m. ET, Indiana Farmers Coliseum):

90s NIGHT presented by Hoosier Lottery: The Fuel get ready to throw it back to the 90s - complete with a special appearance by John O'Hurley, better known as J. Peterman from Seinfeld! It's also a Fuel Do317 Night, so kick off your weekend with $3 beers & sodas, $1 hot dogs and $7 limited edition t-shirts.

Saturday, March 2 - Fuel vs. Kalamazoo (7:35 p.m. ET, Indiana Farmers Coliseum)

The Fuel make their final trip of the season to Wings Event Center for a critical showdown with the Wings. Indy leads the season series 6-4 heading into the 11th of 12 meetings between the Central Division rivals in 2018-19, though Kalamazoo has won three of the five previous meetings in Michigan.

Sunday, March 3 - Fuel at Toledo (5:15 p.m. ET, Huntington Center)

FAMILY FUN DAY presented by Community Health Network: Join the Fuel for an afternoon the whole family can enjoy, complete with a post-game skate with the team! Bring your own skates, or take advantage of our free skate rental on a first come, first served basis. Grab a few photos and autographs from your favorite players as you hit the ice where the Fuel play!

OIL DROPS:

-The Fuel enter Week 22 four points back of the Fort Wayne Komets and Wheeling Nailers in the race for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division.

-Indy still has three games left against both Fort Wayne and Wheeling, as well as two more to play against third-place Kalamazoo, which holds a six-point edge over Indy.

-Eight of the Fuel's final 15 games take place at Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

-Indy has a record of 18-8-1-1 on home ice this season, two wins shy of tying a franchise record for most home victories in a single season.

-The Fuel have finished with 20 wins in Indianapolis twice before; logging a 20-15-1-0 mark in 2015-16, before ending with a 20-14-2-0 record in 2017-18.

-Indy currently ranks fifth in the ECHL in home power play percentage at 19.1% (22-for-115).

-A crowd of 6,026 was in attendance Saturday to watch the Fuel defeat Kalamazoo, the second consecutive home game at Indiana Farmers Coliseum to draw over 6,000 fans.

-The Fuel have drawn crowds of over 5,000 in five straight home games, and six of the last seven dating back to Jan. 19.

-Indy set a franchise record for shots in a single period Saturday when they recorded 25 shots on goal in the opening frame against Kalamazoo's Ivan Kulbakov.

-With the first of his two goals Saturday, forward Josh Shalla registered his 300th career ECHL point.

-In 359 total ECHL games over seven seasons, Shalla has tallied 157 goals and 144 assists.

-Forward Matt Rupert skated in his 250th career ECHL game Saturday, tallying a goal in the process.

-Defenseman Alex Brooks has picked up at least a point in six of his last seven games (1g, 6a).

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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