EXPLOSIVE FIRST PERIOD HANDS INDY FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN

FORT WAYNE - Playing the first of three straight games on the weekend, the Fuel traveled to Fort Wayne for the second time this season. Scoring three straight goals in the first period, the Fuel would hang on to their lead for the remainder of the game to eventually earn a 4-2 win on Friday night.

After the Komets dominated the first half of the opening period, the Fuel would be the first team to get on the board in Friday’s contest. Jumping on a loose puck on the rush, Indy’s Riley McKay deked around a sliding Mario Culina to give the Fuel a 1-0 lead. Scoring on the man advantage, the Fuel took a two-goal lead when Karl El-Mir fired a wrist shot from the faceoff circle and beat Culina. Taking advantage of a Fort Wayne turnover, Griff Jeszka scored his fifth goal of the season when he beat Culina with a wrist shot over the shoulder. 

The Komets would be the first team to get on the board when Anthony Petruzzelli jumped on a rebound and tucked it past a sprawling Mitch Gillam. Although outshooting the Komets 14-9 through the remainder of the third period, the Fuel wouldn’t be able to get on the board in the middle stanza, sending them into the locker room with a two-goal lead. 

Earning an early 5-on-3 advantage, the Komets would cut Indy’s lead to one goal when Sean Szydlowski caught a pass from Zach Pochiro and wristed it past Gillam. After defending a barrage of Fort Wayne chances, the Fuel would eventually put the game away when Jared Thomas buried the empty netter from his own zone. 

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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