INDIANAPOLIS– The Fuel hosted the Kalamazoo Wings on Saturday night for their annual Teddy Bear Toss game. In front of a sold out crowd of 6,319 fans, the Fuel collected 5,875 stuffed animals in a thrilling game that ultimately ended 3-2 in Kalamazoo’s favor.
1ST PERIOD
Kalamazoo’s Justin Taylor got on the score sheet first with a tripping penalty, giving the Fuel the first power play of the game. After killing that off, Indy took their first penalty of the game, a tripping call on Jon Martin.
Just twenty seconds after that, Erik Bradford took a hooking penalty to force almost two minutes of 4-on-4 play.
About twelve minutes into the first period, it appeared the Fuel scored and the lamp was lit allowing over five thousand bears to fly to the ice. Unfortunately, the play was reviewed and it was not a goal. The score remained 0-0.
At the end of the first period, the Fuel were outshooting Kalamazoo 10-7.
2ND PERIOD
3:28 into the second frame, Ayden MacDonald scored, giving Kalamazoo the 1-0 lead. Pilon and Taylor both claimed assists on this goal.
At 11:14, Pilon took a cross-checking penalty giving the Fuel another power play opportunity but they were able to kill it off.
Three minutes later, Tanner Sorenson scored to give the K-Wings a 2-0 lead.
Indy outshot Kalamazoo once again during the second period, however the K-Wings kept the lead headed into the third.
3RD PERIOD
41 seconds into the third period, David Keefer scored to make it 3-0 for Kalamazoo.
At 1:40, Sorenson took a slashing penalty that resulted in a power play goal for the Fuel from the stick of Colin Bilek. Bryan Lemos and Cam Hillis claimed assists on that goal.
After a pause because even more teddy bears made their way to the ice, game play continued.
At 11:36, Kyle Maksimovich scored to make it 3-2 with Kalamazoo still holding a lead. Bilek and Hillis both got their second points of the game with assists.
DJ King took a slashing penalty at 15:28 to give Kalamazoo a late-period power play. Additionally, at 17:03, Fuel captain Seamus Malone took a cross-checking penalty.
After pulling Zach Driscoll from goal, Kalamazoo’s captain Chazz Reddekopp took a delay of game penalty after sitting on the puck along the boards. This gave 33.6 seconds of 6-on-4 for the Fuel, however the K-Wings were able to clear the zone and time expired before Indy could complete the comeback.
Despite outshooting Kalamazoo 26-19, Indy fell 3-2 but sold out Indiana Farmers Coliseum for the second time this season, collected 5,875 teddy bears to donate to WRTV’s Toy Drive and eclipse 40,000 total bears thrown in the Fuel’s ten years at the Coliseum.
The Indy Fuel are back in action at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on December 27 for Teacher Appreciation Night against the Wheeling Nailers.
Originally posted on indyfuelhockey.com