FISH IN A BARREL: After dominating the Wheeling Nailers on Thursday night, the Indy Fuel will close out this week's games with a Friday night matchup against the Toledo Walleye. Indy put up a touchdown on Wheeling on Thursday night while the Walleye will be playing their first game of the week.
THE MATCHUP: Faring well against the Walleye this season, Indy has earned a 7-1-0-0 record in eight total games. With Indy fighting for one of the bottom two playoff spots in the Central Division, a win could put Indy 11 points ahead of the Wheeling Nailers for fourth place. Toledo enters Friday having won five out of their last six games, most recently pitching a shutout in a 6-0 win over the Wheeling Nailers on Sunday, March 1. Playing their first of three games in three days on Friday night, the Walleye will travel to Cincinnati on Saturday and Kalamazoo on Sunday afternoon.
POINTS LEADERS: Scoring a goal and two assists in his last three games, forward Spencer Watson leads the team in both goals and points through 52 games. Watson has had a career year this season, registering 29 goals and 28 assists. The London, Ontario native is currently tied for second in the ECHL in goals behind Toledo's Josh Kestner. Kestner has put up 30 goals and 36 assists this season, putting him in second in the league in points. Skating in all eight games against the Fuel this season, Kestner has five goals and eight assists, leading both teams by four points.
POWER PLAY SPECIALISTS: Friday night's game will showcase two of the top power-plays in the league with Toledo sitting in second in the league and Indy in seventh. Scoring on 20.1% of their power-play chances this season, Indy will be competing with the league's second-best penalty kill on Friday night as Toledo kills off 87.9% of their penalties. Toledo's power play has been one of the best in the league all season, scoring on 24.2% of their chances through 55 games. They'll face an Indy penalty kill that is 20th in the league, stopping 79.6% of their penalties.
LOOKING AHEAD: After facing the Walleye on Friday, the Fuel will enjoy a rare Saturday and Sunday off before heading Kalamazoo on Wednesday. Indy will return home to host the Wichita Thunder on Friday, March 13th where Fuel fans will have the chance to meet Perd Hapley from Parks and Recreation during the annual Netflix Night.
--IndyFuelHockey.com--