FUEL FALL TO WALLEYE ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT

INDIANAPOLIS- The Fuel hosted the Toledo Walleye on Wednesday night in their first home game of 2024. Despite going into the second period tied at one, the Walleye came away with the win, 7-2.

1ST PERIOD

Just 46 seconds into the first frame, Indy’s Matt Cairns took a tripping penalty that the Fuel killed off but not without a lot of pressure from the Walleye on the power play. 

Toledo held onto the momentum but Zach Driscoll stood strong in net until DJ King took the game’s next penalty at 13:35, also for tripping. 

Mitchell Lewandowski opened the scoring with a power play goal at 15:27 to put Toledo up 1-0. Bryan Lemos answered just over a minute later with an even-strength goal of his own, assisted by Cairns and Seamus Malone.

At the end of the first period, the score was tied 1-1 but the Walleye were outshooting the Fuel 12-3. 

2ND PERIOD

Matt Anderson gave the Walleye their second lead of the game with a goal just 28 seconds into the second period. Chase Gresock scored less than three minutes later to give Toledo a 3-1 lead early in the second frame.

At 15:32, Cairns got his second point of the night with a goal to make it 3-2. Ross MacDougall and Andrew Bellant claimed assists on the goal. 

Sam Ruffin served a bench minor for a too many men call on the Fuel at 17:58 which Toledo quickly capitalized on with a goal by Brandon Kruse to make it 4-2 on the power play. 

Soon after, Toledo added to their lead with a goal by Conlan Keenan to make it 5-2. Sam Craggs scored just 26 seconds after that goal to extend the Walleye’s lead to 6-2. 

3RD PERIOD

At 3:25, Riley McCourt took an interference penalty, giving the Fuel their first power play of the game, however the Walleye killed it off. 

Quickly after that penalty expired, Toledo took their second of the game, this time a hooking call on Jake Willets. The Fuel put on pressure but ultimately Toledo was able to kill off the penalty. 

Orrin Centazzo scored at 12:08 to put the Walleye up 7-2. 

At 16:55, Ross MacDougall took a cross checking penalty to put the Fuel back on the penalty kill late in the third period. They were able to kill it off but time expired before they could put anything else on the board and the first place Walleye took the 7-2 win. 

The Indy Fuel are back in action at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Friday, January 19, 2024 for the Fuel’s 10th Anniversary Celebration. 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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