5-4 THRILLER HANDS INDY SECOND OVERTIME LOSS OF THE SEASON

INDIANAPOLIS - In their second and final game of a slower week, the Indy Fuel (21-6-2-0) hosted the Kansas City Mavericks (12-12-3-1) on Friday night at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. After a slower first period, both teams would combine for five goals in the second period and two in the third to send the teams to overtime tied 4-4. It would take just under three minutes of overtime before Adam Brady beat Bakala with a wrist shot to give the Mavericks a 5-4 win on Friday. 

Outshot 7-1 by the Mavericks in the first half of the opening period, Dan Bakala and Indy’s defense would have to weather a storm before getting chances of their own. Dominating possession throughout the first period, the Mavericks would eventually break through when Luke Bafia threw a puck on net from the point and beat a screened Bakala to send Kansas City into the locker room leading 1-0. 

The Indy penalty kill had their work cut out for them at the beginning of the 2nd period, killing off back-to-back penalties. Responding to a strong penalty kill, the Fuel would tie the game when Diego Cuglietta got alone and beat Matt Ginn with a wrist shot. Jumping on an Indy defensive zone turnover Adam Brady gave Kansas City the 2-1 lead when he deked Dan Bakala and roofed a backhand shot. 

Scoring his second goal of the game, Diego Cuglietta jumped on a loose puck off of a faceoff and backhanded a shot past Ginn to tie the game at two goals each. The Fuel would take the lead three minutes later when Mat Thompson fed an open Michael Pelech who put the puck past Ginn to give the Fuel a 3-2 lead. Tying the game again with :30 seconds remaining in the period, Derek Angeli wristed a puck past Dan Bakala, sending the teams into the locker room tied 3-3. 

Taking the lead in the third period, Michael Pelech fed Mat Thompson a one-timed pass and he beat Matt Ginn to give the Fuel a 4-3 lead. Scoring on the power play late in the third period, Rob Bordson jammed a puck through the legs of Dan Bakala to tie the game 4-4 and send the teams to a seven-minute overtime period. 

Controlling the majority of the possession early in overtime, the Fuel would be unable to score on Matt Ginn. Eventually taking the 5-4 win on Friday, Kansas City’s Adam Brady got loose behind the Fuel defense and beat Dan Bakala with a wrist shot. 

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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