Indy Faces Rematch With Toledo

THE REMATCH: After defeating the Walleye 4-3 in a shootout on Friday night. Indy will meet Toledo for the second half of back-to-back games at the Huntington Center. Through six games this season against the Walleye, Indy has only lost one game, falling 6-2 on December 13. Toledo enters Friday having lost their last three matchups against the Fuel but have earned two points, forcing overtime and a shootout in two of the games.

THE MATCHUP: Coming off of a slower week for both team's standards, the Fuel and the Walleye met on Friday night at the Huntington Center. Indy took a 3-1 lead into the third period and Toledo responded with two goals and forcing overtime and eventually a shootout. Alex Krushelnyski and Bobby MacIntyre both scored for Indy while Charles Williams stopped both Toledo shots, earning a 4-3 win. The Walleye have forced extra time in two out of their last three games against Indy and sit seven points above Indy in the Central Division standings.

TEAM LEADERS: The Fuel were without team points leader Spencer Watson on Friday but saw a regulation goal and the shootout winner from forward Alex Krushelnyski. Since returning from injury on December 28, Krushelnyski has earned five goals and five assists, putting him in third place on the team in points. With Watson called up to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs, team leaders Bobby MacIntyre and Alex Krushelnyski picked up the load on Friday night against Toledo. Tallying a goal and an assist on Friday Toledo's Josh Kestner has earned 40 points in 33 games this season, Kestner leads the Walleye in both goals and points. Sitting two points behind Kestner and earning a goal of his own on Friday, Shane Berschbach has earned 13 goals and 25 assists through 31 games with the Walleye. Berschbach is averaging 1.23 points per game heading into Saturday night.

GOALTENDER BATTLE: Appearing in 24 games for the Fuel and stopping 38 of 41 shots on Friday night, Charles Williams has earned a 2.84 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. Playing in his first game in a Fuel uniform against the Walleye on January 4, Dan Bakala has earned one win in his only start of the season with the Fuel. The native of Calgary, Alberta, Bakala has earned a 1.50 goals-against average and a .959 save percentage. Starting the game for the Walleye on Friday night, Pat Nagle has registered a 2.75 goals against average and a .911 save percentage through 14 games with Toledo. Splitting games with Nagle this season, Billy Christopoulos has registered a 2.68 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage through 14 games in a Walleye uniform.

LOOKING AHEAD: Playing back-to-back away games against the Walleye on Friday and Saturday the Fuel will return home on January 16 to play three games in three days against the Florida Everblades, Rapid City Rush and Wheeling Nailers. Enjoying a week off for the 2020 ECHL All-Star Classic, the Fuel will play two games at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on January 24 and January 25.