Fuel Hammer the Nailers 5-1

INDIANAPOLIS - In the first half of a home and home series, the Indy Fuel hosted the Wheeling Nailers on Friday night. Indy would jump out to a 1-0 lead in the first period and would score four more goals en route to a 5-1 win over the Nailers

Scoring :23 seconds into the game, Jan Mandat received a pass from Darien Craighead and wristed the puck past Wheeling goaltedner Stephanos Lekkas. The Fuel would outshoot the Nailers 7-5 throughout the remainder of the period and Mitch Gillam would hold strong, sending the Fuel into the room leading 1-0. 

After Wheeling took control in the first half of the period, Gillam held on to the Fuel’s 1-0 lead. Indy looked to have taken a two-goal lead when CJ Eick fired a shot from the slot but referee Sam Heidemann would rule that the Fuel interfered with the goaltender and negated the goal. After being awarded a penalty shot late in the period, Jared Thomas wired a slap shot over the shoulder of Lekkas, giving the Fuel a 2-0 lead. 

The Fuel would triple their lead when CJ Eick scored his fifth goal of the season after he jumped on a loose puck and shot it under the pad of Lekkas. Jan Mandat would score his second goal of the night and put the Fuel up 4-0 when he fired a wrist shot past a screened Lekkas. 

Launching a shot from his own end, Griff Jeszka cemented the win when he put the puck in the Wheeling empty net. The Nailers would score a late goal to snap Mitch Gillam’s shutout but it wouldnt be enough as Indy won 5-1 on Friday night. 

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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