FUEL FALL IN FIRST MEETING WITH K-ZOO

KALAMAZOO- The Fuel headed to Kalamazoo to take on the K-Wings in their first of fourteen meetings this season. In a rare Wednesday night matchup before meeting again this Saturday, it was the K-Wings who came out victorious, beating the Fuel 5-4.

1ST PERIOD

The Kalamazoo Wings got to a quick start with a goal by Nico Blachman just 20 seconds into the game, followed by another goal 20 seconds later by Ty Glover. 

At 4:36, Collin Saccoman took the game’s first penalty, an illegal check to the head call against Kalamazoo. The Fuel were able to take advantage of the power play with a goal by Ross MacDougall to cut the score in half. 

At 6:53, Andrew Bellant and Kalamazoo’s Tanner Sorenson took offsetting minor penalties for embellishment and interference respectively. About four minutes after that, Chris Cameron and the K-Wings first scorer Blachman were given five minutes each for fighting after a brawl. 

After trading off four more minor penalties near the end of the first frame, the Wings were able to tack on another goal by Brad Morrison after a roughing call on DJ King left the Fuel to the penalty kill.

2ND PERIOD

The Fuel dominated the beginning of the second frame and tacked on a goal by defenseman DJ King to make it 3-2. 

Josh Passolt extended Kalamazoo’s lead to two again with a goal at 10:38 of the second period. 

It wasn’t until 16:37 that the first second period penalty took place which was Derek Daschke sitting for holding. This gave the Fuel their second power play opportunity of the game. 

Despite the calm nature of the second period up to that point, that all shifted when Sorenson received a five minute major penalty and game misconduct for boarding on Kirill Chaika which former K-Wing Darby Llewellyn immediately retaliated for. 

Llewellyn received two minutes for roughing after some blows to Sorenson leaving the Fuel to finish out the second period at even strength but three minutes of power play time to start the third period. 

3RD PERIOD

The Fuel were able to capitalize on their long power play with a goal tipped in by Jon Martin giving him his third goal in the first three games of the season to make it 4-3.

Indy’s Trevor Zins took the period’s first penalty, an interference call at 11:17. Just four seconds later, Kalamazoo’s Luke Morgan was called for hooking, forcing almost two full minutes of 4-on-4 play.

At 14:26, Luc Brown scored for the Fuel to tie the game at four each. Robert Calisti scored just fifty seconds later to make it 5-4 in favor of the K-Wings once again.

Indy pulled Mitchell Weeks from goal in favor of the extra skater but could not even the score again before time ticked down and ultimately fell to the K-Wings 5-4 in regulation.

The Indy Fuel are back in action at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on October 28, 2023 for Pucks and Paws/Halloween Night against the Kalamazoo Wings. 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, are back at Indiana Farmers Coliseum for their tenth season. Check out all the Fuel’s promotions, theme nights and get your tickets now HERE. 

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--INDYFUELHOCKEY.COM--