FUEL BLAST OFF, DEFEAT KOMETS IN OT

FORT WAYNE - Coming off a home win vs Kalamazoo the previous night, the Indy Fuel made the trip to Fort Wayne for the final of three games in three days, their fourth game in five. Despite trailing behind the Komets the majority of the game, the Fuel came back to force the game into overtime and in the end took a 6-5 victory over their divisional opponent. 

Indy newcomer Luc Brown, with the help of Seamus Malone and Bryan Lemos, gave the Fuel the lead 6:44 into the first. That would be Indy’s only lead of regulation. Fort Wayne proceeded to score three goals in a row all within four minutes. The first came on a power play from Matt Alvaro at 9:55 after a tripping call on Indy’s Matt Watson. Drake Rymsha and Tye Felhaber then scored equal-strength goals at 11:14 and 13:20 respectively, and the first ended with the Komets up 3-1.

Both teams each had two power play opportunities in the second period, but only Indy was able to take advantage of one of them. Brown scored on the power play at 7:42, bringing the score to 3-2. With less than five minutes remaining in the middle frame, Fort Wayne’s Rymsha also scored his second of the game to double their lead. 

Spencer Watson opened the Indy Fuel scoring floodgates in the third period. After receiving a pass from his twin brother Matt Watson, Spencer Watson skirted the puck around two Komets defensemen to make it 4-3. Six minutes later, Indy’s all-time scoring leader notched his second of the night to tie the game. With only ten minutes remaining, Fort Wayne’s Oliver Cooper tapped in a slow moving puck past Fuel goaltender Cam Gray to make it 5-4. Two minutes later, Indy’s Chad Yetman scored to tie the game. This extended Yetman’s point-streak to 12 games and his goal streak to seven, which is now the longest goal streak in Fuel history. The Fuel’s captain Keoni Texeira took a delay of game penalty with less than two minutes remaining. With some great saves by Gray and a sliding save from forward Cam Hillis in front of the Indy net, the Fuel forced the game into overtime. 

Indy began overtime by successfully killing off the remaining time on Texeira’s penalty. At 2:28, Fort Wayne’s Daniel Maggio was called for goaltender interference, giving Indy their first power play opportunity since early in the third period. With just 12 seconds remaining on the power play, Hillis sent the puck into the back of the Komets’ net giving Indy the 6-5 win in overtime.

The Fuel return to Indiana Farmers Coliseum after the All-Star break on Friday, January 20 for Do317 Night against the Cincinnati Cyclones! Tickets are available HERE. 

ABOUT THE INDY FUEL:The Indy Fuel, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks and the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs, have returned to Indiana Farmers Coliseum for their ninth season. Check out all the Fuel’s promotions, theme nights and get your tickets now HERE.

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