INDIANAPOLIS - In the first meeting in franchise history, the Indy Fuel hosted the Iowa Heartlanders on Friday night. After giving up three goals in the first period, the Fuel bounced back to score five straight goals and take the game 5-3.
Scoring the opening goal just over two minutes into the game, Jacob LeGuerrier fired a wrist shot from the point and beat a screened Hunter Jones. Responding a minute later, the Heartlanders capitalized on an Indy turnover and Bryce Misley beat Cale Morris. Iowa took the lead five minutes into the period when Jack Billings got loose and beat Morris over the shoulder. While playing 4-on-4 halfway through the period, Joe Widmar got behind the Fuel defense and put a wrist shot under the arm of Morris.
The Fuel would cut the Heartlanders lead in half just over two minutes into the second period when Cedric Lacroix fed a wide open Chad Yetman and he buried the shot in the back of the net. Scoring his first ECHL goal, Kirill Chaika would put home a rebound off of Jones, tying the game 3-3.
After bombarding the Heartlanders with shots, the Fuel would eventually sneak past when Jordan Schneider received a pass and beat Jones with a wrist shot. Doubling their lead with just over five minutes remaining in the period, Ryan Zuhlsdorf sprung Chad Yetman on a breakaway and he tucked the puck through the fivehole of Jones to give Indy a 5-3 lead. Liam Folkes would bury the empty netter with 45 seconds remaining in the game, handing the Fuel their first home win of the season.
Various ticket options are now on sale for the Fuel’s 8th 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 2021-22 season.
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