FUEL SWEEP SERIES IN UTAH

WEST VALLEY CITY - The Fuel would look for the series sweep against the Utah Grizzlies to wrap up their 15-game road trip to start the season. Two goals from Kevin Lombardi propelled the Fuel to a 4-1 win.

1ST PERIOD

Three penalties were committed before the game saw its first goal, one by the Fuel and two by the Grizzlies. The one that hurt was Kabore Dunn’s slashing minor at 14:04.

That would set up Cam Hausinger for a power-play goal scored in the final second of the power play at 16:03.

The final game of this three-game series would become chippy as three roughing minors were called within 70 seconds of each other. In total, 14 penalty minutes were assessed in the first period.

Indy outshot Utah 14 to 7 in the first frame.

2ND PERIOD

Kevin Lombardi wasted no time extending the Fuel lead as he scored not once, but twice in the first 27 seconds of the period to put the Fuel ahead 3-0.

Lombardi’s two goals in 14 seconds set a franchise record for the two fastest goals by the same player, breaking the previous record of 28 seconds set by Kenny Ryan in 2017 against Quad City.

Utah would break their scoring silence at 14:40 when Briley Wood found the back of the net to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Jordan Martin would be the culprit of another coincidental roughing minor, this time with Gianni Fairbrother of the Grizzlies at 18:51.

The period would end with the Fuel once again outshooting Utah 14 to 8.

3RD PERIOD

Once again, the Fuel wasted no time getting on the board as Colin Bilek would score 63 seconds into the final frame, giving him his third of the year and second of the three-game series.

As the Fuel pulled away, tensions continued to fume as the heated nature of this series boiled over at the 7:47 mark. Six total penalties were assessed, including three to Cam Hausinger, one being a game misconduct, ending his night early.

The pleasantries weren’t over. With 3:22 left in the game, Darby Llewellyn would be checked into the boards after the whistle, leading to four misconducts, two against the Fuel and two against the Grizzlies.

In total, the game would have 117 penalty minutes, 68 by the Fuel and 49 by the Grizzlies.

Indy would outshot Utah in all three periods and end the game with 37 shots to Utah’s 17. 

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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