FUEL SELL OUT HOME OPENER, FALL TO IOWA

INDIANAPOLIS- The Fuel packed the house with a sellout crowd for their first ever game at Fishers Event Center as they took on the Iowa Heartlanders. Despite taking a lead in the second period, the Fuel fell to Iowa 4-3. 

1ST PERIOD

Brett Bulmer kicked things off in his first game for the Fuel this season with a five minute major penalty for fighting at 1:39 of the first period to get the crowd going in Indy’s new home. Ryan Miotto was also called for fighting. 

A few minutes after that, it appeared the Fuel’s Ryan Gagnier scored; however, it was called no-goal due to goaltender interference. 

At 7:48, Hakon Nilsen took an interference penalty giving Indy their first power play opportunity of the game. The Heartlanders were able to kill it off. 

Bulmer headed back to the box at 10:04 for hooking, giving Iowa a power play chance but the Fuel killed it off. 

At 16:04, Matus Spodniak and Brandon Yeamans took offsetting roughing penalties after an altercation but no one scored. 

Spodniak headed back to the box at 18:24 for slashing. 

With just two seconds left in the frame, Dakota Raabe scored on the power play for Iowa to make it 1-0 before time expired. Iowa outshot Indy 6-5 in the first period. 

2ND PERIOD

Just 22 seconds into the period, Gagnier scored to tie the game at 1-1. Adam McCormick and Kevin Lombardi claimed the assists on that goal. 

At the 1:00 mark, Nick Grima took a hooking penalty, putting the Fuel back on the penalty kill. Iowa did not score. 

The Heartlanders took back-to-back penalties. Louka Henault sat for tripping at 8:04 and after Iowa killed that off, Adam Goodsir sat for tripping at 10:44. 

In the last second of the power play, at 12:44, Bulmer scored to put the Fuel ahead 2-1. Andrew Bellant had the lone assist on that goal. 

At 18:27, the Fuel headed back to the power play after a high sticking call on Goodsir. At 18:51, however, Nathan Burke took a high sticking penalty too. 

Time expired soon after. The Fuel outshot the Heartlanders that period, 11-7. 

3RD PERIOD

Two minutes and thirty one seconds into the final period, Cam Hausinger scored with the help of Kyle Maksimovich to make it 3-1. 

At 4:40, Will Calverley scored to make it 3-2, with the Fuel still leading. Fifty seconds after that, Jack O’Brien scored to tie the game 3-3. 

T.J. Walsh gave Iowa a 4-3 lead at 11:40 in the third period with a goal.

Henault took a slew footing match penalty at the 20:00 mark of the third period but it did not matter as the Heartlanders took the win 4-3. Indy outshot Iowa, 28-20.

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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--INDYFUELHOCKEY.COM--