INDIANAPOLIS– The Fuel hosted the Jacksonville Icemen for the first and only time this season on Friday 12/29 in front of 6,453 fans, their third sold out crowd in a row. Despite coming back and forcing overtime in the third period, the Fuel fell to the Icemen 3-2.
1ST PERIOD
At 3:11, Brandon Schultz took the first penalty of the game with a holding call giving Jacksonville a power play opportunity, however the Fuel were able to kill it off.
Craig Martin scored at 9:53 of the first period giving the Icemen a 1-0 lead and breaking goaltender Mitchell Weeks’ two game shutout streak. That goal was assisted by Olivier Nadeau and Brendan Harris.
Cam Hillis took the Fuel’s second penalty of the game, a high sticking call at 11:14. As that was killed off, Indy’s Ross MacDougall sat for tripping.
That is how the period ended, with Jacksonville up by one and Indy outshooting them 14-13.
2ND PERIOD
The Fuel got the first power play of the frame at 2:06 with an interference call on Connor Russell that the Icemen killed off.
At 4:25, Matt Cairns scored his first of the season with the help of Sam Ruffin and Andrew Bellant to even the score.
Six minutes later though, Olivier Nadeau netted his first of the season to give the Icemen a 2-1 lead.
Garrett Van Wyhe took a tripping penalty at 15:37 giving the Fuel another power play opportunity, however Jacksonville killed it off. As soon as that penalty was killed off, MacDougall took another tripping penalty sending the Fuel to the penalty kill.
At 19:33, Bryan Lemos and Matheson Iacopelli took offsetting penalties for delay of game and cross checking respectively. Those would carry over into the third frame.
3RD PERIOD
At 2:48, Ryan Gagnier scored his third of the season to tie the game again. DJ King and Kale Howarth both claimed assists on the goal.
Two minutes later, Riley Fiddler-Schultz took a penalty for interference, giving Indy another power play; however they killed off the penalty.
Van Wyhe took his second penalty of the game at 10:42, this time a holding call but the Icemen killed it off.
After a ton of chances on both sides, the game remained tied 2-2 at the end of regulation with Jacksonville outshooting Indy 38-31.
OVERTIME
For the first minute of overtime, play went back and forth before Jacksonville’s Christopher Brown had a breakaway chance that earned him a penalty shot when slashing was called. Goaltender Mitchell Weeks stood strong though and made the save.
At 4:43 in the overtime period, Olivier Nadeau scored his second of the game to close it out for Jacksonville and claim the 3-2 win. Weeks made a season high 38 saves on 41 shots.
The Indy Fuel are back in action at Indiana Farmers Coliseum tomorrow on Saturday, December 30 for Video Game Night.
Originally posted on indyfuelhockey.com