Indy Opens the New Year Against Cincinnati

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION: Finishing out 2019 on a high note with a 6-2 win over the Kalamazoo Wings, the Indy Fuel will be looking to continue their winning ways with a Thursday night matchup against the Cincinnati Cyclones. Cincinnati enters Thursday's game having lost three out of their last five games and starting three games in three days this weekend.

THE MATCHUP: Indy comes into Thursday's game with three losses in their last five games, two out of the three losses coming against Central Division opponents. The Fuel closed out 2019 with a 6-2 win over the Kalamazoo Wings and will play three straight games against Central Division teams. Struggling to put together consistent wins as of late, the Cincinnati Cyclones have put together a 6-3-1-0 record through their last ten games.

TEAM LEADERS: Appearing in 30 games this season, forward Spencer Watson leads Fuel in points, tallying 17 goals and 18 assists. Earning 35 points, Watson is currently 5th in the ECHL in points. Nine points behind Watson in points, Bobby MacIntyre leads the team in assists, earning 19 through 31 games in a Fuel uniform. Tied for 4th in the league in points, Jesse Schultz leads the Cyclones with 15 goals and 21 assists through 31 games in a Cincinnati uniform. Schultz is followed by forward Ben Johnson, who has tallied 13 goals and 14 assists through 27 games with the Cyclones.

GOALTENDER BATTLE: Appearing in 21 games for the Fuel, Charles Williams has earned a 2.80 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. Williams has earned four wins in his last six games and helped the Fuel earn points in five out of the six. Splitting the last five games, Michael Houser and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen have earned just two wins in their last five games. Sitting in fourth in the ECHL in goals-against average, Luukkonen has earned a 2.22 save percentage through 16 games this season. Through eight games in a Cincinnati uniform, Houser has registered a 2.75 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage.

LOOKING AHEAD: Beginning three games in three days on Thursday, the Fuel will host the Fort Wayne Komets on Friday night before traveling to Toledo on Saturday. Following Saturday's gam in Toledo, Indy will not play until January 10 when they play back-to-back games against the Walleye.