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Indy Fuel

INDY FUEL PIT STOP Weekly â=80" WEEK 1

October 16, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Indy Fuel News Release


INDY GAINS SINGLE POINT IN STANDINGS THROUGH TWO GAMES' OPENING WEEKEND SET IN WICHITA

"INDY FUEL LIVE" COACH'S SHOW THURS. NIGHT AT FISHERS ASPEN CREEK GRILL ON 1070 THE FAN

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS: 2(0-1-1) 6-8

FRI. OCT. 13 FUEL 3 AT WICHITA 4

SAT. OCT. 14 FUEL 3 AT WICHITA 4 (OT)

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: (1)

SAT. OCT. 21 TULSA AT FUEL 7:35 PM OPENING NIGHT IN INDY !!

THE FUEL HOME OPENING NIGHT: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21ST VS. TULSA OILERS 7:35 PM

THE FUEL REVIEW: Under the direction of Head Coach Bernie John, the Indy Fuel inaugurated their fourth campaign as a bona fide member of the ECHL the past weekend in a two-games' series in Wichita against the Western Conference Mountain Division rivals, the Thunder. In a pair of razor-close contests, the men of the Fuel extracted a single point in the league standings through a game #2 overtime outcome with both affairs decided by identical 4-3 results. In the process, the Indy club completed the opening weekend of the ECHL's 30th Anniversary season with a record of 2(0-1-1). In game one the past Friday night, Indy never led but did forge a 1-1 deadlock before nearly surmounting a daunting deficit of 4-1. The Fuel-men power play was especially proficient, producing a standout 2-3 night in outshooting the Wichita overall, 38-29. In game #2 Saturday night, the Fuel attained 1-0 and 2-1 advantages before coming back to knot matters late in regulation on a Troy Vance strike stoked at 16:13. Nick Bligh (FG) and Tommy Olczyk (PPG/TBG) also connected with the Thunder outshooting the visitors from Indianapolis, 36-34.

SATURDAY NIGHT/OPENING NIGHT: It is an uncharacteristically limited one-game agenda for the Fuel in the league's second week of the season coming up this week. This Saturday night, will be opening night for the Fuel! The Tulsa Oilers come calling for a 7:35 pm opening face-off at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum. This will the Fuel's lone home appearance in regular season competition for the month of October as Coach Bernie's crew is confronting an acutely challenging early season schedule which delineates 5 of the club's initial 6-outings to be played in the enemy's territory.

DIVISION LINEUP ALIGNMENT: Through the inaugural weekend of the regular season, the Fuel's Western Conference Central Division standings have been established; 1-Fort Wayne 1(1-0-0)2; 2-Kalamazoo 1(1-0-0)2; 3-Kansas City 1(1-0-0)2; 4-Toledo 2(1-1-0)2; 5-Quad City 2(1-1-0)2; 6-INDY FUEL 2(0-1-1)1; 7-Cincinnati 1(0-0-1)1.

BLIGH THE BIG GUY: For the first weekend of the embryonic campaign, Indy second-year right wing Nick Bligh asserted his presence in a prominent, proficient fashion. The former Dartmouth College standout engineered scoring points in each of his club's contests including the game's FG Saturday night in Wichita where he was acclaimed the game's #3 Star. For the weekend he was 2(1-1-2) with 7-SOG; 5 of those to top the team on Saturday. Bligh is the Fuel's nomination for ECHL Player of the Week

THE DELIA DEBUT: Goaltender Collin Delia officially made his pro premiere appearance the past weekend by backstopping his club in both bouts in Kansas. The Chicago Blackhawks chattel acquitted himself nobly and admirably in facing 65-shots and repelling 57 of those. The 2016-17 Hockey East Conference Goaltender of the Year from Merrimack College out of North Andover, MA is the Fuel's nomination for ECHL Goaltender of the Week.

W-W-R RADAR: The Fuel's top scoring unit for the league's initial weekend was the combination of Alex Wideman, Geoff Walker and Cam Reid. The triumvirate accounted for two of the team's three goals Friday night; both snipes snapped on the power play as well as one more power play thrust the next night in the Wichita city. For the weekend: Wideman 2(1-2-3) PPG; Walker 2(1-2-3)PPG; Reid 2(0-3-3)3-PPA. The troika trumped to the composite tune of 2(2-7-9) for the pair of outings.

THE LANDIN' OF BRANDON: Second-year defenseman Brandon Anselmini enjoyed a favorable debut this past weekend for the Fuel. Assigned to Indy through its affiliation with AHL Rockford, the former Ferris State star was the lone Fuel player to achieve a positive, premium, plus performance in each of his first two Indy outings. In addition, the ECHL-experienced rearguard through his Idaho Steelheads stint in 2016-17, essayed one assist. For the weekend, Anselmini was 2(0-1-1) +2 with 6-PIM.

POINTS PRE-EMINENCE: The Fuel's premiere point-producers for the first weekend: Alex Wideman 2(1-2-3); Geoff Walker 2(1-2-3); Cam Reid 2(0-3-3); Nick Bligh 2(1-1-2); Zach Miskovic 2(1-1-2); Tommy Olczyk 2(1-0-1); Troy Vance 2(1-0-1); Ryan Rupert 2(0-1-1); Brandon Anselmini 2(0-1-1); Reed Seckel 2(0-1-1).

SPECIAL TEAMS TOUTED: For the Fuel's special teams, the past weekend was masterful; both on the power play as well as in the penalty-killing category. As for the extra man band, Indy operated at a proficiency rating of a superb 27.3%, going 3-11, including a prolific terrific 2-3 on Friday night. Last season, Indy's power play produced only 5-multiple PPG performances with 4 of those generated and percolated at the expense of archenemy Fort Wayne. In the PK category, the Fuel were impeccable, defusing all 7 of the Thunder's man advantages; 7-7; 100%.

THE FUEL ON 1070 THE FAN: All this season, every Indy Fuel pre-season, regular season and playoff game is broadcast live in stream fashion, play-by-play, home and away, all the way on the Fuel's brand-new radio home of WFNI-AM 1070 The Fan.com. The "Voice of the Fuel," Terry Ficorelli, will describe all the action with this weekend's home opening night action Saturday night originating from the Indiana Farmers Coliseum against the Tulsa Oilers, beginning at 7:00 pm.

"INDY FUEL LIVE" THURSDAY NIGHT: The Indy Fuel monthly radio show is back in this 2017-18 ECHL season. "ÍNDY FUEL LIVE," will mark its return this Thursday night, October 19th, live from Aspen Creek Grill in Fishers. The one-hour program will be hosted by Terry Ficorelli and will air from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm on the radio home of the Fuel, 1070 THE FAN. After this Thursday's premiere edition, the next Fuel radio show is set on the docket for November 6th.

THE MILESTONES MOMENT: Center Ryan Rupert (99) is 1-assist from pro career 100. Left wing Alex Wideman (97) is 3-points shy of the career 100. Right wing Geoff Walker (191) is 9-assists from the career 200. Defenseman Zach Miskovic (89) needs 11-more assists for 100.

FUEL FACTS: On opening night in Wichita, the Fuel outshot the Thunder, 38-29. Last season, Indy outshot the opponents in only 11 of 72-games, posting a mark of 11(2-7-2). When they bowed opening night Friday night in Wichita, 4-3, it marked the first time in their 4-year ECHL history that the Fuel had incurred an outright regulation time defeat on the season's first night. They had earned 5 of a possible 6-points on a record of 3(2-0-1) with the 2-triumphs coming consecutively over the past 2-years. In fact, the Fuel posted a perfect 2(2-0-0) mark in the season's initial 2-games dating back the past 2-years. With the overtime result of the season's second game Saturday night, the Fuel are now 4(0-4) in their last 4-OT affairs. Dating back to last season, Nick Bligh is 12(7-7-14) in his last dozen outings. Defenseman Garrett Clarke was the recipient of 5-minute major fighting penalties in each of the first 2-games of the new season. The Fuel deactivated goaltender Etienne Marcoux, defenseman Travis Armstrong and right wing Connor Reilly for both games over the weekend. Center Mike Neal and rookie defenseman Anthony Cortese are currently on the Indy injured list while defenseman Chris Williams has been place on the suspended list.

ECHL ALL-STAR GAME IN INDY: The Annual ECHL All-Star Classic, featuring hockey legend Wayne Gretzky as special guest, is coming to our city with the Fuel being the host with the most. The date is set for Monday, January 15, 2018 at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. More information regarding this major Indianapolis hockey event will be coming in the near future.

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