Indy Fuel Pit Stop - Week 1

INDY FUEL WEEK 1 RESULTS: 2-0-0-0, 2-0-0-0 Overall

Friday, December 11 - Fuel 4 vs. Kansas City 3 SO:  

After a nine-month offseason, the Indy Fuel hosted their home opener against the Kanas City Mavericks on Friday night in front of a socially distanced sold out crowd. In their seventh opening night in franchise history, the Fuel waited until the final seconds to tie the game and eventually take a 4-3 win in a shootout. 

Saturday, December 12 - Fuel 3 vs. Wheeling 2:

Visiting the Wheeling Nailers for the first road game of the season, the Fuel saw goals from Derek Barach, David Broll and Jared Thomas. Scoring two goals in the middle of the opening period, the Fuel only needed Thomas’ goal in the middle of the second period to earn their first road win and second win in the 2020-21 ECHL season.

INDY FUEL WEEK 2 SCHEDULE: 

Friday, December 18 - Fuel at Kansas City (8:05 p.m. ET, Cable Dahmer Arena)

THEY SAID IT:

Playing through the COVID-19 pandemic is something that 13 ECHL teams are dealing with as well as other professional sports leagues. Buying in will be crucial this season if the Indy Fuel want to make it through 72 games. 

“We’re fortunate enough to have at least two thousand (fans),” said David Broll. “I know in Wheeling there’s only a couple hundred. We’re fortunate to have maybe another thousand fans than they did. That’s just the way it’s going to be whether we are allowed more or less, that’s the way it’s going to be this year.”

After defeating the Kansas City Mavericks in a shootout on Friday night, Head Coach Doug Christiansen discussed what it meant to get a dramatic win like that in the first game of the year. 

“I think that obviously, it’s a great feeling,” said Christiansen. “I think it’s really good for a team to have a game like that early. Because that can set a trend for the season that if you’re behind you’ll be able to have that confidence that you can come from behind.”

With only 13 teams playing a full, 72-game season, the Fuel has talent that they wouldn’t expect to have in a normal year. Even in the first pair of games, the talent level was noticeable. 

“Look at our team,” said Broll. “There’s some definite AHL players on our team right now that probably wouldn’t be in this league if it were a normal year. So it’s definitely very competitive and we’re already having a few extra bodies that are very good players so it makes you perform every night to just stay in the lineup.”

OIL DROPS:

• With a goal in both Friday and Saturday’s games David Broll finished the weekend with three points (2g, 1a)
• Rookie Mike Lee finished the weekend with three assists in two games
  • Lee leads all rookies in assists after the first weekend of the season
• Scoring the game-tying goal in Friday and a goal on Saturday, Derek Barach finished the weekend with two goals
• Dan Bakala finished the weekend with a 2.39 GAA  and a .919 save percentage

• Friday’s game was the 4th time Indy has gone to a shootout in their home opener
  • Indy is 3-1 in shootouts in their home opener
• Indy is one of three teams in the league to finish the weekend with a 1.000 winning percentage
• The Fuel finished third in goals-for in the first weekend of the season

TICKET INFORMATION:

Single-Game tickets are now available for Fuel seventh season at Indiana Farmers Coliseum! Fans can also take advantage of full season, 18 ticket and 12 ticket flex packages by calling 317-925-FUEL or visiting IndyFuelHockey.com. 

BROADCAST: 

Catch every home game this season with a free online radio stream at IndyFuelHockey.com! Click the “Watch/Listen Live” button to hear Andrew Smith and Nick Olczyk bring you all of the action from Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Fans can also watch all 72 games at home and on the road live through FloSports! 

FOLLOW THE FUEL: 

Don’t forget to follow the Fuel on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok (IndyFuel) for news, updates, contests and much more throughout the 2020-21 season! Join the Fuel by using the hashtag #NoBrakes on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

-- INDYFUELHOCKEY.COM -