THE MATCHUP: The Indy Fuel finish off 2019 training camp with a home-and-home exhibition matchup with the Cincinnati Cyclones. In the first of two meetings, the Fuel face Cincinnati at Indiana Farmers Coliseum before heading to U.S. Bank Arena on Saturday, October 5 to close out 2019 Training Camp.
LAST TIME OUT: Friday is Indy's first time back in game action after the 2018-19 season. In six years as a franchise, the Fuel have never played against Cincinnati during the preseason. Last time Cincinnati and Indy faced one another, the Cyclones defeated the Fuel 4-3 in regulation at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Brady Vail scored the game-tying goal for Cincinnati in the third period and Justin Vaive netted the game-winner. The Cyclones will see the return of both Vail and Vaive as well as top scorer Jesse Schultz.
NEW FACES: Under new Fuel Head Coach Doug Christiansen, the Fuel will look to create a new atmosphere in the locker room and create a new game plan on the ice. Coach Christiansen has stressed a fast-paced, hungry team that will compete night in and night out to make a deep run in the playoffs. With nine rookies on the preseason roster, the Fuel will have a young squad to kick off the 2019 preseason.
FAMILIAR FACES: Led by a core of young players, the Fuel will also see several players return from the 2018-19 season. Forwards Matt Rupert, defensemen Sam Thibault, Alex Brooks, Braden Hellems and goaltender Gordon Defiel return to the team under ECHL contracts. Rupert appeared in 69 games for the Fuel last season, tallying 22 goals and 21 assists. The three defensemen combined for 98 games played last season for the Fuel, earning eight goals and 28 assists.
FAMILY MATTERS: Once again, the Chicago Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs will be well represented on the Fuel roster heading into the first exhibition game of the 2019-20 season. The Blackhawks reassigned forwards Graham Knott and Nathan Noel to the Fuel roster while the IceHogs assigned forwards Liam Coughlin and Mathew Thompson, defensemen Jake Ryczek, Josh McArdle, Dmitry Osipov and goaltender Chase Marchand to the Indy Fuel roster. Thompson, McArdle and Osipov are familiar faces to the Indy Fuel as they spent the 2018-19 season in Indy under ECHL contracts.
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