ECHL Indy Fuel

Fuel Break Through for Win in Evansville

December 19, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Indy Fuel News Release


EVANSVILLE, IND. - After playing the role of tough-luck losers a few too many times over the past month, the bounces finally went in a favorable direction for the Indy Fuel. The Fuel (11-14-2-0) used a complete team effort in addition to a couple of fortunate breaks to earn a 3-1 victory over the Evansville IceMen (10-14-2-0) Saturday night at Ford Center. The win ended a three-game slide for Indy, and salvaged a split in the weekend doubleheader against the Hoosier State rival IceMen.

Goaltender Mac Carruth made 44 saves, the Fuel's penalty kill unit tacked on a goal to a spotless outing and Indy's offense found the net in each period to pave the way to a big two points on Saturday. With the road victory the Fuel find themselves back on top of the IceMen in both the season series with Evansville (three games to two), as well as in the Midwest Division standings (24 points to 22).

For the second-straight evening Indy opened the contest's scoring in the first period. Cody Sharib surprised goaltender Scott Greenham with a quick shot from a narrow angle to give the Fuel a 1-0 lead 13:10 into play. Nick Mattson and Daniel Ciampini provided the assists on Sharib's eighth of the season, which is tops among Indy rookies.

Dylan Clarke doubled the Fuel's lead in the second period, with a little assistance from an Evansville shin pad. After Derek Roehl found Clarke in the slot, the forward ricocheted a shot off of an unsuspecting IceMen defender and behind Greenham to make it 2-0 at 5:51 of the frame. The assist was Roehl's first in an Indy uniform, with the center making his Fuel debut after signing with the team on Thursday.

The home team cut the deficit in half late in the middle frame when Tyson Fawcett threw a loose rebound over a sprawling Carruth at 18:43. Saturday was Evansville's Teddy Bear Toss, so Fawcett's ECHL-leading 16th tally of the campaign was met with a volley of stuffed animals from the large crowd on hand at Ford Center.

Indy insured that the Teddy Bear Toss goal would be the only thing the IceMen fans would have to cheer about with a stout third period. The Fuel's shorthanded unit took over, killing three straight infractions over the last 18 minutes of regulation, while adding an opportunistic goal off the stick of Josh Brittain. Preparing to start the power play breakout, Evansville Andrew Himelson broke his stick on a pass, sending the puck right to a pressuring Brittain, who beat Greenham one-on-one. Brittain's fourth goal of the season gave his team a 3-1 lead and capped off a 5-for-5 performance by the Indy penalty killers.

Carruth made 15 of his 44 stops in the third period to help keep the IceMen's high-octane scoring attack to a single goal. The victory was the sixth of the season for the Fuel netminder, his third coming in Evansville. Greenham was saddled with the loss after denying 29 of 32 shots faced.

Indy came up empty with the man advantage, going 0-for-4.

The Fuel wrap up their pre-Christmas schedule tomorrow afternoon as they return home for a matinee matchup with the Toledo Walleye at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Following Sunday's game is the ECHL's holiday break, with Indy returning to action on Saturday, Dec. 26 in Quad City.

Next Home Game: Sunday, December 20 vs. Toledo Walleye - 3:05 p.m. Join the Fuel for a fun day the whole family can enjoy, complete with a post-game skate on the historic Indiana Farmers Coliseum ice! Bring your own skates, or take advantage of free skate rental on a first-come, first-served basis. Get photos and autographs from your favorite players as you take the ice where the Fuel play!

Single-game tickets are now on sale at Ticketmaster or at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum box office, while a variety of different ticket plans and group specials are available by calling (317) 925-FUEL or visiting IndyFuelHockey.com. Don't miss out on anything from the Fuel in 2015-16, follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@IndyFuel) and don't forget to 'Like' the Fuel on Facebook.

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