THE MATCHUP: After a 5-4 OT win Wichita Friday night Indy (1-0-0-0) continues their road trip with a Saturday night game against the Kansas City Mavericks. The Mavericks (0-1-0-0) play their second game in their home opening weekend after losing 5-2 to the Tulsa Oilers last night. Saturday's matchup is the first matchup between the two teams since March 31 of the 2018-19 season.
LAST TIME OUT: Indy and Kansas City faced off four times during the 2018-19 season. Kansas City took the final matchup of last season between the two at Indiana Farmers Coliseum with a 5-2 win over the Fuel. Over five years as a franchise, the Fuel have lost 12 out of the 18 matchups. The Fuel have only taken three games at Kansas City.
RETURNING MAVS: Kansas City returns three out of their five top scorers from the 2018-19. Rocco Carzo returns from last season after scoring 20 goals and 29 assists while appearing in all 72 games for the Mavericks. Greg Betzold comes re-signs with the Mavericks for a third season. Last year, Betzold had a breakout year scoring 25 goals and 31 assists in 70 games with the Mavericks. Familiar face to Fuel fans that returns to the Mavericks lineup is Darian Dziurzynski. The Mavs forward tallied 27 goals and 21 assists in 69 games, as well as adding two goals and one assist in seven games.
STAT PADDERS: Fuel forward Spencer Watson tallied a pair of goals from last night as well as returning player Mat Thompson who generated two points for Indy. New Fuel forward Derian Plouffe had the game winning goal last night in overtime as well has an assist on Watson's second goal. Alex Krushelynski (3), Liam Coughlin (2), Jack Ramsey (2), Tim Shoup (1) and Bobby MacIntrye (1) all had assits.
Goaltending Matchup: Charles Williams was in the net for Indy last night with 24 saves (3.72, 1-0-0-0, .857) while the Mavericks had Hayden Hawkey in between the posts with 34 saves (5.00, 0-1-0-0, .853)
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