FUEL DEFEAT TOLEDO IN 9-GOAL THRILLER

INDIANAPOLIS - In the first of three games in the final week of the season, the Indy Fuel hosted the Toledo Walleye on Wednesday night. Both teams would combine for nine goals throughout the night but Keoni Texeira would score the game winner :32 seconds into the overtime period, giving the Fuel a 5-4 win. 

Fighting off a handful of chances from the Walleye early in the first period, the Fuel would hold the Walleye scoreless. Indy would take the 1-0 late in the first period when Darien Craighead walked through the Toledo defense and fired a wrist shot past Toledo goaltender Billy Christopoulos. 

Getting outshot 6-3 through the first 10 minutes, Mitch Gillam and the Indy Fuel weathered the storm that was the Toledo Walleye offense. Taking advantage of a Toledo turnover, Craighead sprung himself on a breakaway and although he was stopped by Christopoulos on the initial shot, Riley McKay put home the rebound to put the Fuel up 2-0. Scoring late in the period, Toledo would cut the Fuel lead to one goal when Patrick Curry tapped home a rebound off Gillam. 

Scoring the tying goal early in the third period, Toledo’s Sam Craggs sped down the side of the ice and wristed a shot over the shoulder of Gillam, knotting the game 2-2. Giving Indy a one-goal advantage three minutes later, Jan Mandat jumped on a loose puck in the Toledo zone and one-timed it past Christopoulos. 

Toledo would tie the game again less than a minute later when Cole Fraser put a shot on net from the blueline and it beat a screened Gillam through the fivehole. Taking advantage of a late power play, Indy would take the 4-3 lead when Chad Yetman fired a wrist shot from the point that beat Christopoulos. Tying the game with 45.6 seconds remaining, Mitchell Heard jumped on a rebound off of Gillam and chipped it over the goaltender, making the score 4-4. 

Going into overtime, the Fuel would be the only team to shoot and the only team to score when Keoni Texeira wristed the puck over the shoulder of Christopoulos, winning the game 5-4. 

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. 

--INDYFUELHOCKEY.COM--