INDIANAPOLIS- The Fuel headed to Iowa for the first time this season after beating them both times the Heartlanders visited Indy. Despite giving up the first goal quickly in the first period, the Fuel won the first of four games in a row against Iowa, 3-2 less than two minutes into overtime after the Heartlanders tied it up late in regulation.Â
Tyler Busch got the Heartlanders on the board just two minutes into the game after the Fuel’s newest member Carson Rose drew a slashing penalty on former Fuel forward Griff Jeszka. Indy answered back quickly with a goal by Bryan Lemos less than two minutes later. Alex Wideman gave Indy the lead less than two minutes after that by redirecting a Matt Watson slap shot in.Â
That is how the score remained until the end of the first period where the Fuel led the Heartlanders in shots 16-4.
Iowa was able to get a few more chances in the second period but both teams seemed to settle down defensively and there were no scores or penalties in the second frame. Iowa was, however, able to catch up in shots. By the end of the second period, Indy was outshooting the Heartlanders 20-19.
The third period began as an extension of the second period with no goals and just two penalties in the first seventeen minutes. With 2:33 to go in the third period, it appeared Iowa scored. The horn sounded and the light lit up but the referees called it no goal. It was then reviewed and overturned meaning it was in fact a game-tying goal for Jake Durflinger of Iowa.
Time ticked down on the third period and for the third time this season, the Fuel headed to overtime. This time against the Heartlanders. It took less than two minutes and just one shot by Indy to score and win the game 3-2 in overtime. Andrew Perrott scored his second goal of the season in a crucial spot to get the first win in this week’s series with the Heartlanders.Â
These two teams match up again on Friday night in Iowa where Indy will look to remain in first place in the division and continue their win streak against Iowa.
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