Indy Begins Back to Back with Greenville

HUNTING RABBITS: Earning a point on Friday night in a 1-0 shootout loss to the Kalamazoo Wings, Indy has earned points in two of their last three games heading into back to back games against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. The Rabbits enter Saturday night having split a home and home series with the Cincinnati Cyclones as well as earning points in three of their last four games.

THE MATCHUP: Saturday's matchup will be the second time this season that Indy and Greenville have met. The last time the two teams met was November 16 during Indy's seven-game winless skid. The Fuel enters Saturday sitting in the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division, just four points behind Fort Wayne for third. Having lost six out of their last seven-games, Indy will be looking to take advantage of a Greenville team that will be playing their third game in four days.

POINTS LEADERS: Although failing to earn a point in Friday's matchup with Kalamazoo, Spencer Watson leads the ECHL in goals with 28 through 49 games in a Fuel uniform. A seventh-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Watson has put up career numbers this season earning 28 goals and 26 assists. Watson's 54 points puts him in seventh in the ECHL and first on the Fuel in points. Appearing in 54 games with the Fuel this season, Keoni Texeira is in first place among ECHL defensemen in power-play points. The second-year defenseman has registered three goals and 16 assists while quarterbacking the Fuel power play this season. Skating in 58 games with the Swamp Rabbits and leading the team in points, Michael Pelech has tallied 13 goals and 34 assists. Following Pelech in points with 19 goals and 21 assists through 59 games, Florida Panthers signing Patrick Bajkov has had a career year of his own. Bajkov leads the Swamp Rabbits in power-play points this season, scoring six goals and nine assists on the man-advantage.

BETWEEN THE PIPES: Signing with the Fuel on New Year's Day, Dan Bakala stopped 35 shots on Friday night's loss against Kalamazoo. Bakala has been a part of Indy's trio of goaltenders with Charles Williams and Chase Marchand. Appearing in 14 games in a Fuel uniform, Bakala has earned a .926 save percentage and a 2.53 goals-against average. Registering a .908 save percentage and a 2.81 goals-against average, Charles Williams has appeared in the most games in a Fuel uniform this season. Rockford signing Chase Marchand has played in 12 games for the Fuel this season, amassing a record of 4-7-0-0 and a .904 save percentage. Appearing in 31 games for Greenville this season, Jeremy Helvig has registered a .902 save percentage and a 2.67 goals-against average.

LOOKING AHEAD: Playing their second of three games in three days on Saturday night, the Fuel will host the second game of the 2019-20 ECHL's Player's Weekend. Donning their alternate grey uniforms for the final time on Saturday, the Fuel jerseys will feature each player's nicknames. Fans will have the chance to meet Blackhawks legend Dave Bolland as well as bid on the game-worn uniforms featuring the player nicknames.

--IndyFuelHockey.com--