FUEL FALL TO KALAMAZOO ON FRIDAY

KALAMAZOO- The Fuel headed to Kalamazoo for the first time this season for the first of a two-game set on Friday night. Ultimately, the Fuel fell 2-0 to the K-Wings after a scoreless first period.

1ST PERIOD

The first period flew by quickly with very few whistles, no goals, and just one penalty at 18:16 on Kalamazoo’s Phil Beaulieu for hooking. 

Both teams had a few good chances but both Indy’s Peyton Jones and Kalamazoo’s Jonathan Lemieux made great saves to keep the game tied 0-0 at the end of the frame. 

Through the first period, Indy outshot the K-Wings 11-6.

2ND PERIOD

Kalamazoo killed off that hooking penalty before getting a power play of their own at 0:45 after the Fuel was called for too many men on the ice. Kyle Maksimovich served that penalty and Indy ultimately killed it off.

At 7:49, Ty Farmer took the game’s next penalty for slashing but the Fuel were able to kill it off. 

Former K-Wing, Darby Llewellyn took a holding penalty at 10:58 sending them back to the penalty kill, but Bryan Lemos had a shorthanded breakaway shot that trickled past the goaltender. The puck was stopped in front of the line by a defenseman that jumped in and after a review, the close call was not called a goal and the game remained 0-0.

The Fuel killed off that penalty but after a scuffle behind Kalamazoo’s net, Lemos took a hooking call and Indy headed back to the penalty kill.

At 15:15, Ayden MacDonald scored the first goal of the game to put Kalamazoo up 1-0 on the power play. 

The period ended quickly after that. In the second period, Kalamazoo outshot Indy 12-6.

3RD PERIOD

Just 13 seconds into the period, Davis Codd was called for hooking which gave Indy an early power play. Exactly one minute later, Ted Nichol was called for tripping. This gave the Fuel a 5-on-3 advantage for a minute.

57 seconds later, Zach Berzolla took a cross checking penalty giving Indy a rare 6-on-3 advantage for 13 seconds. 

After the first penalty was killed off, the Fuel went back to a 5-on-3 advantage but gave up a shorthanded goal to Josh Bloom at 3:02 to make it 2-0. 

Things settled down after that with the next penalty coming at 11:26. That was a high sticking call on Collin Saccoman. The K-Wings were able to kill that off. 

At 16:17, Luc Salem took a penalty for slashing which was followed up by a holding call on Matus Spodniak at 17:42. The Fuel were able to kill off those penalties but could not score before time expired on regulation. 

Indy outshot Kalamazoo 29-26 but fell 2-0. 

The Fuel will take on the K-Wings again tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m.

ABOUT THE INDY FUEL:

The Indy Fuel are the proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks and the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs. The Fuel will host their first home game of the 2024-25 season on December 6, 2024 against the Iowa Heartlanders. Information and tickets can be found HERE. 

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