I-69 Rival Fort Wayne Visits Indy to Close Out Weekend

RIVALRY RENEWED: Coming off of a 4-2 win over the Kalamazoo Wings on Saturday night, the Indy Fuel will close out the weekend with a matchup against I-69 rival Fort Wayne Komets on Sunday afternoon. The Fuel enter Sunday's game having won four straight as well as earning points in their last five games while Fort Wayne has only earned four points in their last seven games.

THE MATCHUP: Indy and Fort Wayne have met four times this season with the Komets holding the season record at 3-0-1-0. The Fuel are yet to lose in the month of February, winning four straight games, as well as winning five of their last six games at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Fort Wayne enters Sunday's game having put together a 3-4-1-2 record in their previous five games, most recently falling 6-3 to the Tulsa Oilers on Saturday night.

PAVING THE WAY: Although only appearing in two out of the four games between Fort Wayne and Indy, forward Alex Krushelnyski leads the team in points, scoring one goal and earning four assists against the Komets this season. Behind Krushelnyski, the league leader in goals Spencer Watson has earned a goal per game in the season series. Watson has registered a total of 25 goals and 24 assists in 41 games this season for the Fuel, a career-high for the third-year forward. Skating in three out of the four matchups between Indy and Fort Wayne Brady Shaw has earned a goal and five assists. Shaw currently sits in eighth in the ECHL in points having earned 17 goals and 30 assists, earning himself an AHL call up from the Cleveland Monsters.

NETMINDERS: Appearing in 28 games for the Fuel this season, Charles Williams has earned a record of 17-8-1-2. Stopping 28 of 30 shots on Saturday night, the third-year goaltender has amassed a 2.68 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage through 28 games in a Fuel uniform. Splitting time with Williams this season, Dan Bakala has skated in 10 games for the Fuel since joining the team on January 1st. Playing just over 500 minutes this season, Bakala has earned a 2.46 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage. Stopping 42 of 43 Indy shots in the previous matchup between the two teams, Cole Kehler defeated the Fuel in a shootout. Kehler has played in 23 games this season, earning a 2.84 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.

LOOKING AHEAD: Closing out their weekend with a Sunday afternoon matchup against the Fort Wayne Komets Indy will look forward to three more games next weekend, all of them coming on the road against Central Division opponents. The Fuel will return to Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Tuesday, February 18th for a 10:30am Education Day Game.