INDIANAPOLIS– The Fuel hosted the Atlanta Gladiators for the third and final time on Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 6,380 fans for Wizard & Sock Toss Night. After a tie game led to overtime, the Fuel won 4-3 after a six round shootout.
1ST PERIOD
Brendan Hoffmann got on the game sheet first with a slashing penalty at 16:18, however the Gladiators killed off the penalty before Matus Spodniak took a slashing penalty of his own at 18:49.
Neither team scored in the first frame but the Fuel outshot Atlanta, 15-7.
2ND PERIOD
Just 19 seconds into the second period, Chris Cameron took a delay of game penalty that the Gladiators capitalized on with the first goal of the game by Jack Matier.
At 3:32, Cam Hillis scored to even the score 1-1. Because it was Sock Toss Night, the Fuel fans in attendance let the socks fly after the goal and ultimately collected 6,343, the most ever recorded at a hockey game sock toss event. Kyle Maksimovich and Colin Bilek both claimed assists on the goal.
After the socks were cleaned up, Jon Martin scored to give the Fuel a 2-1 lead at 7:29. Seamus Malone and Chris Cameron both claimed assists on that goal.
At 11:39, Hillis took a holding call but at 12:29, Atlanta’s Indiana native Jackson Pierson took a slashing call to force some 4-on-4.
At 17:59, the Fuel ended up with a power play after Navrin Mutter was called for tripping, unsportsmanlike conduct and fighting while Indy’s Andrew Bellant was just given five minutes for fighting.
This resulted in a late power play goal by Maksimovich to give the Fuel a 3-1 lead. Spodniak and Ross MacDougall both had assists on the goal. The period ended a second later.
3RD PERIOD
Hoffman got one back for the Gladiators at 6:32 to make it 3-2 in favor of the Fuel.
At 7:11, Spencer Kennedy and Cam Bakker both sat for two minutes for embellishment and holding respectively.
Less than a minute later, Santino Centorame joined Bakker in the box for holding, however all penalties were killed off.
Victor Hadfield took a slashing penalty at 13:11 giving Atlanta a power play opportunity which they capitalized on with a power play goal by Micah Miller to tie the game 3-3.
Despite some good chances on both sides, time expired on regulation with Atlanta outshooting Indy 34-33 as they headed to overtime.
OVERTIME
Both teams had good opportunities to score in the overtime period but none better than the penalty shot awarded to Miller when Malone hooked him on a breakaway. Mitchell Weeks made the save though and play continued.
After seven minutes, neither team scored and they headed to a shootout.
Through six rounds, Hillis, Malone and Martin scored while Weeks stopped four shots to secure the 4-3 Fuel victory.
The Indy Fuel are back in action at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on February 23 against the Wichita Thunder for Hockey is for Everyone Night.
Originally posted on indyfuelhockey.com