WHEELING KNOCKS OFF INDY WITH OVERTIME WINNER

INDIANAPOLIS - In the second half of a home and home series, the Indy Fuel hosted the Wheeling Nailers. Indy would take a 3-1 lead into the locker room after the second period only for Wheeling to tie the game late and eventually take the 4-3 win in overtime.

Indy opened the scoring six minutes in when Spencer Watson threaded a pass to Cedric Lacroix who beat Wheeling goaltender Brandon Halverson to take the 1-0 lead. Each team would have a chance on the power play but neither would be able to score, sending Indy into the locker room with a 1-0 lead. 

It only took one minute before Wheeling would tie the game in the second period when Josh Winquist snuck down the side and beat Dan Bakala with a wrist shot. Indy would respond to Wheeling’s goal at the 12:00 minute mark when Spencer Watson put a backhand shot past Halverson to give Indy a 2-1 lead. Scoring his second goal of the night, Watson got loose on the power play and fired a wrist shot past Halverson to double Indy’s lead. Late in the third period, Brandon Halverson was replaced by Hayden Hawkey after Halverson was run into by Cedric Lacroix. 

Earning a power play early in the third period, Indy had a pair of chances but Hawkey turned them aside. Wheeling would cut the Fuel lead in half when Hayden Hodgson picked up a loose puck off the end boards and beat Bakala. Eventually tying the game at three goals apiece, Josh Winquist would pick up his second of the night putting a one-timer past Bakala. 

Each team would trade chances throughout the final minutes of the period, eventually forcing overtime. After an Indy chance on Hawkey in overtime, Wheeling’s Cody Sylvester scored on the odd man rush, beating Bakala with a one-timer to take the 4-3 win.

Various ticket options are now on sale for the Fuel’s 7th season at Indiana Farmers Coliseum! Lock up your seat for every second of the action at Indiana Farmers Coliseum with a Fuel Ticket Plan – grab yours by heading to IndyFuelHockey.com or by calling the Fuel front office at 317-925-FUEL. Don’t forget to follow the Fuel on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (IndyFuel) for news, updates, contests and much more throughout the 2020-21 season. 

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