FUEL COLLECT POINT IN OVERTIME LOSS TO K-ZOO

INDIANAPOLIS - The Fuel hosted the Kalamazoo Wings for the last time of the season attempting to claim their tenth win over the K-Wings. While they did claim a point for forcing overtime, it was Kalamazoo who took the win, 3-2.

1ST PERIOD

The first few minutes of the game went by quickly without a whistle but at 3:10, Indy’s Luc Brown took the game’s first penalty for tripping. The Fuel quickly killed it off.

At 7:51, Kalamazoo’s Justin Taylor was called for slashing and despite heavy pressure by Indy, the K-Wings killed it off. 

As that penalty expired, Kalamazoo’s Ayden MacDonald and Indy’s Logan Nijhoff took offsetting slashing penalties that were immediately followed up with offsetting roughing penalties for Justin Murray and Max Golod. Thirty seconds later, Kalamazoo’s Kobe Roth took another penalty for holding. Thirty seconds after that, Indy’s Andrew Bellant took a penalty for tripping. 

With all of those penalty minutes in play, both teams lined up for almost a minute of three-on-three that was quickly ended by a goal from Chad Yetman to put the Fuel up 1-0.

Things calmed down after that until the period ended and both teams gathered at center ice to exchange some words before heading to the locker rooms. At the end of the first period, Indy was outshooting Kalamazoo 10-5. 

2ND PERIOD

The chippiness continued in the second frame and just a minute in, Nijhoff was called for tripping but the Fuel were able to kill it off. Nine minutes later, Kalamazoo’s Drake Pilon took a penalty for goaltender interference giving Indy a power play opportunity.

At 13:07, Colin Bilek took a hooking penalty that resulted in a power play goal by Kalamazoo’s Ben Copeland with the help of Justin Murray and Luke Morgan.

The Fuel went back to the penalty kill after that with a roughing penalty called on Golod which Kalamazoo capitalized on with a goal by Aidan Spellacy to make it 2-1. 

At 18:43, Kalamazoo’s Collin Saccoman took a cross-checking penalty giving the Fuel a power play opportunity again. As the buzzer sounded for the end of the second period, it appeared the Fuel had scored, however upon review, they had not and the score remained 2-1 with the Fuel outshooting the K-Wings 23-14.

3RD PERIOD

The Fuel got an early power play opportunity after a tripping call was assessed to MacDonald. Kalamazoo killed off that penalty before both teams took offsetting penalties causing four-on-four play.

That became four-on-three quickly as Kalamazoo took another penalty. Bilek took advantage and scored on the power play to tie the game at two with the help of Brown and Wideman.

At 10:37 in the third, Fuel captain Keoni Texeira took a minor penalty for holding while Koletrane Wilson received a ten minute misconduct for inciting and left the ice, leaving the Fuel to the penalty kill. 

With two minutes left in regulation, Nijhoff took a double minor for high-sticking giving Kalamazoo an advantage. Time expired on regulation after a few great saves by Cam Gray in goal. The score was still tied at two each and we headed for overtime. 

OVERTIME

With the man advantage in overtime still, Kalamazoo scored just 57 seconds into the period to win 3-2.

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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