Fuel Dominate Heartlanders on Friday Night
February 16, 2024 - ECHL (ECHL)
Indy Fuel News Release
IOWA- The Fuel were back in Iowa for the second of three games in a row against the Heartlanders. After two shorthanded goals in the first period, the Fuel claimed the 7-1 victory on Friday.
1ST PERIOD
The Fuel came out fast in the first period and earned a power play at 6:32 after a call on Justin Wells for an illegal check to the head.
The Heartlanders killed off that penalty before giving up the first goal of the game at even strength to Jon Martin, who netted his seventeenth of the season to put the Fuel up 1-0 at 9:14. Matus Spodniak claimed the lone assist on that goal.
Iowa got their first power play after an interference call on Matt Cairns at 12:04.
Andrew Bellant capitalized on an open net while on the penalty kill and scored his second shorthanded goal of the year to give the Fuel a 2-0 lead at 12:24.
Fuel captain, Seamus Malone scored while still on the penalty kill after a rebounding a breakaway attempt by Spodniak, who claimed his second assist of the night on that goal.
At the end of the period, Indy was outshooting Iowa 13-6 after a dominant frame.
2ND PERIOD
Both goalies made great saves throughout the second period and both teams remained very disciplined as there were no penalties or goals until the last five minutes of the period.
Kyle Maksimovich added to the Fuel's lead with a goal at 15:45, assisted by Colin Bilek and Cam Hillis.
Cam Bakker headed to the box for slashing at 18:42, giving Iowa their second power play opportunity that would carry over into the third period.
3RD PERIOD
The Fuel killed off the remainder of the penalty on Bakker before Colin Bilek scored to make it 5-0. Hillis and Maksimovich each claimed their second points of the game with assists on that goal.
Iowa's Casey Dornbach scored just about thirty seconds later to break the shutout and make it 5-1.
Things began to get chippier after that as Pavel Novak took a boarding penalty at 7:34, giving the Fuel another power play opportunity.
Anthony Petruzzelli scored late in the power play to make it 6-1 with the help of Martin and Maksimovich.
At 10:09, Hillis scored to make it 7-1. Bellant collected his second point of the night with the assist on that goal.
With under four minutes to go, Bilek and Adam Goodsir dropped the gloves and after reviewing for an instigator penalty, the Fuel headed to the power play as Goodsir was given five minutes for fighting as well as a game misconduct for instigating in the final five minutes.
Time ticked down on the period without much pressure from the Heartlanders and the Fuel were able to seal the deal on the 7-1 win in Iowa. This marks six straight wins for the Fuel as they prepare for their final game of the week against the Heartlanders tomorrow.
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