FISHERS- The Indy Fuel hosted the Wheeling Nailers for Opening Night on their thirteenth season on October 16. After ending regulation in a 1-1 tie, Harrison Israels scored the game-winner at 5:17 in OT to claim a 2-1 victory for the Fuel.
1ST PERIOD
Indy’s Tommy Budnick took the game’s first penalty against his former team. He sat for holding at 11:17. That penalty was killed off.
About five minutes later, Wheeling’s Dante Sheriff took a penalty for tripping. At 16:21, Indy’s Chase Dafoe capitalized on the Fuel’s first power play with a goal assisted by Budnick and Mitchell Hoelscher.
Things got feisty between the two new-look teams but no other penalties were recorded that frame.
After one period, Indy was outshooting the Nailers, 8-6.
2ND PERIOD
Budnick headed to the penalty box again with 5:49 left in the second period along with Wheeling’s Mitchell Haight as they exchanged offsetting roughing penalties.
While playing 4-on-4, Tristan Thompson scored for the Nailers to tie the game 1-1 at 15:48.
Budnick went to the penalty box for the third time at 17:39 when he took a minor interference penalty.
Time expired soon after, but both teams erupted into fights after the period ended. This resulted in two-minute minor penalties for roughing on Jadon Joseph, Jesse Tucker, and Wheeling’s Robby Drazner that would carry over to the third period.
After two frames, the Nailers were outshooting Indy, 13-11.
3RD PERIOD
Just 52 seconds into the third period, Wheeling’s Cam Cook took a tripping penalty. Once the other penalties all expired, this left Indy with fifty seconds on the power play early in the frame. The Nailers killed it off.
Indy poured on shots for the remainder of the period, however regulation ended with a score of 1-1. The Fuel outshot Wheeling, 26-17 through three periods.
OVERTIME
Harrison Israels scored at 5:17 with the help of Aaron Bohlinger and Dafoe, who earned his second point of the night. This secured the win for Indy while Wheeling earned a point for the tie.
The Fuel outshot Wheeling, 5-2 in the OT period and 31-19 overall.
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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 have returned to Fishers Event Center for their 13th season. Information and tickets can be found HERE.
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