FISHERS- The Indy Fuel kicked off the season at home against the Fort Wayne Komets on Friday. In front of a sold out crowd of 6,530, the Fuel fell to the Komets 4-0 after a plethora of penalties prevented them from scoring.

1ST PERIOD

Michael Marchesan took the game’s first penalty at 2:02 for slashing to put Fort Wayne on the power play early. Jadon Joseph joined him in the box just 42 seconds later, also for slashing. 

With a lengthy 5-on-3 opportunity, the Komets capitalized with a goal by Blake Murray to make it 1-0. 

Will Ennis took an interference penalty at 7:28 to put the Fuel back on the penalty kill early in the game. The Fuel successfully killed it off. 

Indy got their first power play of the game at 10:04 courtesy of Fort Wayne’s Matt Miller taking a hooking call. Fort Wayne killed it off. 

Things got scrappier between these two rival teams before Joseph headed back to the box for an illegal hit to the head at 17:51. While shorthanded, Harrison Israels had a breakaway but Nathan Day made the glove save for the Komets.

Time expired soon after. The period ended with a score of 1-0 in favor of Fort Wayne who was outshooting Indy, 11-9. 

2ND PERIOD

Indy’s Brett Moravec took the period’s first penalty with a high sticking call at 4:33. This put the Fuel back on the penalty kill once more. Indy killed it off.

Fort Wayne made it 2-0 at 12:31 with a goal by Matt Murphy. 

At 14:38, Fort Wayne’s Nick Deakin-Poot and Indy’s Marchesan dropped the gloves and earned five minutes each for fighting. Deakin-Poot was also given two minutes for boarding while Marchesan headed to the locker room early after an additional ten minute major penalty and two minutes for instigating. 

With .5 seconds left in the second frame, Fort Wayne added to their lead with a goal by James Stefan. This made it 3-0 just before the period ended. After two periods, the Komets were outshooting the Fuel, 21-18.

3RD PERIOD

Indy went back to the power play about five minutes into the third period after a holding call on Fort Wayne’s Matt Brown.

The Komets killed off that penalty before Indy’s Connor Joyce took a holding penalty at 7:29. This put Fort Wayne back on the power play but Indy killed it off. 

Marchesan was finally released from the penalty box and immediately had a chance on net but could not score. 

Indy’s Holden Wale took a hooking penalty at 13:54, putting the Komets back on the power play but the Fuel killed it off. 

With 1:31 left in regulation, Fort Wayne’s Stefan took an interference penalty. This put the Fuel on a late power play. 

Less than thirty seconds later, Jadon Joseph also went to the box for a slashing call. Kirill Tyutyayev made it 4-0 with a goal at 19:58. 

Ultimately, Fort Wayne outshot the Fuel 31-27 while defeating them 4-0. 

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 return to Fishers Event Center in October 2025 for their 12th season. Information and tickets can be found HERE.

Don’t forget to follow the Fuel on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube for news, updates, contests, and much more.

--INDYFUELHOCKEY.COM--