FUEL FALL TO WALLEYE 6-3 IN FIRST PLAYOFF MATCHUP

TOLEDO- The Fuel kicked off the first round of the Kelly Cup playoffs in Toledo on Thursday night in the first of at least four games against the Walleye. Despite some back-and-forth late in the game, the Fuel ultimately fell to the Walleye 6-3. 

1ST PERIOD

Jalen Smereck took a tripping penalty at 3:30 that put the Fuel on an early power play, however Toledo’s Trenton Bliss intercepted the puck and scored shorthanded to give the Walleye an early 1-0 lead. 

Cam Hausinger took a roughing penalty at 5:30 which resulted in a power play goal by Toledo’s Brandon Hawkins to make it 2-0.

Things settled down as the period went on and the Fuel were able to find more momentum but Jan Bednar stood strong in net for the Walleye. 

Toledo outshot the Fuel 11-10 in the first frame. 

2ND PERIOD

At 2:52, Owen Robinson netted the first Fuel goal of the playoffs with the help of Kevin Lynch and Fuel captain Chris Cameron. 

Smereck got a goal back for Toledo just two minutes later to make it 3-1 in favor of the Walleye. 

Sam Craggs scored at 6:51 to make it 4-1. After that, Indy’s Ty Farmer headed to the locker room after a hit along the boards and would not return for the remainder of the second period. 

At 9:30, Bryan Lemos scored for Indy to make it 4-2. Chis Cameron shot from the blue line to claim his second assist of the game along with Colin Bilek on that goal.

Craggs scored his second goal of the period at 13:22 to make it 5-2. Two seconds later, Lynch took a high sticking penalty to put the Fuel back on the penalty kill.

At 14:40, Lucas Brenton joined him in the Fuel’s penalty box for a tripping call that gave Toledo a 5-on-3 advantage for 45 seconds. 

The Fuel killed off both of those penalties but could not score again in that frame. 

After two periods, the Walleye were outshooting the Fuel 24-18.

3RD PERIOD

Colin Swoyer opened the scoring in the third period at 1:39 with a goal to make it 6-2. 

At 4:45, Nolan Moyle was called for high sticking to put the Fuel on a power play but Toledo killed it off. 

Lemos and Toledo’s Brandon Kruse took offsetting cross checking penalties at 8:59 as things heated up between these two teams. Both of those penalties expired quickly.

At 12:25, Jarrett Lee scored after redirecting a shot from Kevin Lombardi to make it 6-3. 

With less than five minutes remaining in the game, tensions boiled over and after Nathan Burke was knocked into the boards, a handful of penalties were given out. 

Brenton and Toledo’s Matt Anderson were given offsetting roughing penalties, however Anderson was given an additional tripping minor penalty while Indy’s DJ King was given a ten minute misconduct penalty. 

Neither team scored again but after the final buzzer sounded, shoves and hits were exchanged again leaving Jesse Tucker with a two minute roughing penalty at the 20:00 mark. 

These two teams will face off again in Toledo tomorrow night at 7:15 p.m. for the second game of the Central division semifinal series. 

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