Fuel Face Rival Fort Wayne for First Time

PAST IS THE PAST: Saturday's game will be the first time both Indy and Fort Wayne teams will face one another during the 2019-20 season. After Saturday night, Indy will not see the Komets until December 20. The Fuel faced the Komets 11 times last season, ending with a record of 5-4-1-1. Since becoming a franchise in 2014-15, Indy has struggled in Fort Wayne winning five games out of 18.

THE MATCHUP: The Indy Fuel (3-3-0-0) takes on Fort Wayne (3-2-1-0) for the first time this season. The Fuel played their first homestand last weekend, splitting with the Cincinnati Cyclones, while the Komets split the weekend with the Jacksonville Icemen and earned a 4-2 win over Florida on Friday night. Indy comes into Saturday having outscored their opponents 11-3 in the opening period while Fort Wayne leads the league with 4.57 goals per game.

STAT PADDERS: Two Fuel players come into Saturday having earned a point in every game this season. Spencer Watson and Alex Krushelnyski are both averaging more than a point per game and look to continue that on Saturday. Spencer Watson is currently tied for 6th in the league in points with four goals and five assists in six games, while Krushelnyski has two goals and six assists in six games. Special teams have been a staple for Indy so far this season having scored on 30.4% of their power play chances. Although he didn't play last weekend, forward Karl El-Mir is currently tied for the league lead with three power play goals.

BETWEEN THE PIPES: Cole Kheler played the first three games of the season for the Komets before being recalled by the AHL's Ontario Reign. In place of Kheler, Matthew Villalta and Dylan Ferguson have split the rest of the season. In two games for the Komets, Villata has earned a 4.2 goals-against average and a .833 save percentage. Ferguson started Friday's game against Florida and stopped 26 of 28 shots by the Everblades. Indy's goaltenders have split the season so far, with both goalies playing three games apiece. Charles Williams is coming off of his first shutout of the season on Friday night against Cincinnati while Chase Marchand is looking to get back on the winning track after falling on Saturday night.

LOOKING AHEAD: After Saturday's matchup with the Komets, Indy will return home to face Central Division opponents Toledo Walleye and Cincinnati Cyclones on November 8 and November 9. The Fuel will end the three-game homestand with a matchup against the Kansas City Mavericks on November 13.